Who Rules: Travels and Travesties

by Nom deCheval

Chapter One

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza walked briskly down the hallway, her head forward, her eyes focused ahead. Any casual viewer might have thought that she was late for a meeting or another obligation, but the truth was much simpler.

She didn’t want to be stopped.

It was inevitable recently. If she paused, even for a moment, somepony would trot up to her and start talking to her about the current climate in Canterlot. She didn’t want to have to go over it again and again. The ponies of Equestria were going to have to make up their own minds, regardless of what she said. And it’s not like any comments that she made changed ponies opinions, anyway.

So, she walked directly. She did her best not to look angry, and she tried not to break into a trot. If she was running it would bring unwanted attention. If she was angry it would bring rumor. But if she walked quickly and concisely, she would be several steps past any casual onlookers before they realized who just passed them. It was a sound, thoughtful plan.

Of course, no plan is perfect.

“Princess!” The guard rushed up to her side, bearing a scroll with him. “Forgive me, princess, but I was told this was a most urgent matter.”

She stopped. She wasn’t happy about it, but she stopped. The guard was doing his duty, and she couldn’t ignore that. Smiling, she looked the guard in the eye. “Oh, no worries. I’m glad you were able to catch up with me. What is this?” Her magic took hold of the scroll and levitated it over to her.

“It’s from your aunts. They gave it to me personally, with the direct order that I hoof-deliver it immediately.”

“Well, you’ve done so,” she smiled warmly, ready to turn and dash off, “now if you’ll excuse me, I have to--”

“Princess!” The shrill voice caused Cadance to wince. “Princess! I have been looking for you all day!”

“Ah, Madame Harridan,” Cadance turned to see the grey mare walking up towards her, determination on her face. “I thought we concluded our conversation yesterday.”

“By no means was it concluded!” The mare walked up, her face contorted into a harsh expression. Anypony looking at the mare would think that she was far older than her actual age, but her strict appearance tended to add years. Her black mane was pulled up tight into a long bun that ran down the back of her neck, and the chained glasses on her face were years out of style. And it always struck everypony as odd that she always wore clothing from neckline to tail. “Until you have heard me through on this matter, it cannot be concluded!”

“Ah, of course, well,” Cadance paused long enough to figure out her next words, “I’m afraid that we can’t continue our conversation at this very moment, as I have been summoned to royal duty. You do understand, I hope?”

“Well, if you have been summoned, then you have to walk, and we can speak while we walk,” Harridan stated as if it were a given this would happen.

“What a natural solution...” Cadance turned and resumed her swift pace, hoping it might prove too much for the other mare. No such luck.

“Now, as I was saying to you,” Harridan began, “as the next in line for the throne, you must be the one to step up and take action.”

Cadance sighed. “And as I explained, madame, I am not the next in line for the throne. Celestia sits on the throne of Equestria, with Luna as her second. I am simply a young princess of Equestria, and highly unlikely to ever have a position of power here.”

“But--but you cannot! We simply must have you here so that when those two--” She didn’t finish her sentence, letting it hang in the air long enough that Cadance turned and looked at her.

“Those two what? Those two alicorns? Those two goddesses of the sun and moon? Those two kind and caring rulers?” She asked back to the grey mare.

“You know what I am talking about,” she replied with a huff.

“Sadly, I do. I am forced to talk to you or somepony else about it every single day, and as I’ve said each and every time: what difference does it make?”

“It makes a world of difference! We have to set an example for all of the ponies of the land. They look up to these princesses, and it is wrong for them to see them behaving in such a depraved manner!”

Cadance stopped in the hall. She stared at the other mare, her head shaking slowly back and forth. “You do realize that I am an alicorn as well? The niece to both Celestia and Luna in fact. And while I might not be a cosmic representative like they are, I am the embodiment of love. You know that, right?”

“Well of course I do. That’s why I came to you to help--” This time it was Cadance cutting her off that stopped her speaking.

“Then you should understand that I do have a bit of a sense for love and related emotions. That I can actually see them like you would see a flower or a painting. Those emotions have shape and color to me. And I might not have quite the age and experience of my aunts, but I am still a bit older than you are, and have a good share of seeing what love is and what it means to people.”

“I do,” Harridan replied. “And it is your true and pure love for Shining Armor--that kind and noble stallion--that saved our kingdom when those horrible changelings invaded. It is that kind of love that we need to set as an example for the foals of Equestria, and not what your aunts are professing.”

“They aren’t ‘professing’ anything. They are in love,” Cadance answered. “And it is as pure and true a love as I have ever seen. They love each other the exact same way that my husband and I do.”

“But you and your husband are natural,” she replied. “Those two are not only two mares, but sisters as well! How can that be considered natural and wholesome?”

“Who cares if they are both mares? Mares outnumber stallions in this world almost five to one. The sister thing, well that...is a little more complicated,” Cadance replied with a wince. “You have to look past that. Realize that they are two immortal and eternal beings who have found each other after millennium together. It’s really rather beautiful.”

Smiling at the other mare, Cadance could only think of the beauty of her aunt’s love. She knew that if she explained it the right way, everypony would understand.

“No,” Harridan replied. “It’s you who needs to understand that the princesses need to stop this immediately. If they truly care about Equestria, they will cease this or step down from the throne. And you are the pony who can do this.”

Cadance took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “No, I can’t.”

“Well, I’m sorry to hear you say that, but understand that my compatriots and I will not stop until Celestia and Luna have recanted their ways or stepped aside and allowed you to take the throne,” the mare stated. “And I will continue to address you on this matter regularly, until I get my point across.”

“And I’ll return the favor,” Cadance said with a smile. “And now, if you will excuse me, I really do need to go see my aunts about some very important business.”

“Good day, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I will speak with you about this again tomorrow,” Harridan said with a slight bow.

“Yes, I’m sure you will,” Cadance sighed.

* * * * * * * *

“...and therefore you understand why I will be unavailable to you for the next two or three weeks.” Celestia’s voice was soft as she looked down and read aloud the note she had just completed. “I have the utmost faith in your ability to use this time to grow and advance your learning and studies. Upon my return, I will expect a complete report on what you have learned and accomplished during my absence. Signed, Princess CelestiaaaaAAAHHHHH!”

Her voice rose sharply as teeth bit down on her neck. She rolled her head back and pulled away from the assailant, turning to look her in the face.

“Luna! Fangs! We’ve talked about this,” Celestia chided. “Since your latest transformation you seem to have kept a couple of Nightmare Moon’s more pointy physical aspects.”

“Oh, do not lie,Tia,” Luna smiled buoyantly. “You love it and you know it.”

She did, but she wasn’t about to admit it. “Besides, we have work to do before our departure. We have to make sure everything is in place.”

“No,” Luna corrected, “that is a task only for you, as I have completed my responsibilities. I barely have anything to take care of thanks to our subjects current opinion of me anyway, so it took me less than an hour. And now I’m ready for the fun to begin.” She smiled, showing her fangs playfully.

“Aren’t you afraid that you are going to scare our subjects with that kind of display?” Celestia asked.

“There are no other ponies in our presence now, just you,” Luna answered. “You aren’t scared are you?”

“Of course not,” Celestia lied--somewhat. She wasn’t scared of Luna, but more frightened for her. There was still a very real fear in Celestia’s heart that the Nightmare Moon side of her would show control and start to drive Luna down a dark path. And with her immortality now gone--given in exchange for saving the life of The Great and Powerful Trixie--that sort of thing could lead to a very short existence.

“Ooooh, it sounds as though a challenge has been presented.” Luna stepped towards her sister, who instinctively backed away from the predatory approach the black mare was taking. “How to make my slave afraid of me.”

“Luna! I have work to do!” Celestia protested.

“What work?” Luna asked. “You’ve left a dozen parchments for various ponies, giving them clear--probably far too clear--instructions. You made sure that all immediate concerns of state were handled before today, and guaranteed that no new ones were presented until next week. So, what task is left for you to perform?”

Luna inched forward, pressing towards Celestia with hunger in her eyes.

“I--I need to pack,” Celestia answered.

“No packing. We decided to take nothing with us, remember?”

“Yes, I remember, but I was thinking--”

“You were thinking of ways to convince me to leave you alone.” Luna’s eyes flashed with lust. “Not very nice. It might lead to punishment, slave.”

Celestia swallowed, her lips smacking in silence as the thought ran through her head. The temptation grew as her mind wrapped around Luna’s new attitude, and she wondered once more just how much of Nightmare Moon was left inside her sister.

“Luna, I--”

“Ah! You will address me as Mistress, slave,” Luna corrected, as she grew ever closer to the white alicorn.

Celestia took a deep breath and hardened her gaze. “LUNA, this is not the right moment. We will have plenty of time for that soon. And trust me, it is not easy for me to say no to you right now.”

Stopping with less than a breath separating her and Celestia, the midnight mare’s eyes locked with her sister’s. Her eyes became all but lost in the slits that remained as she bore down with her vision. Finally, she acted, her tongue darting out in a display of pure maturity as she turned and walked away. “You are no fun, sister!”

“Yes, I am! I just know when to show restraint,” Celestia laughed in relief.

“But this is the utmost pinnacle of boring!” With an audible thud, Luna dropped her rump to the ground. “When do we get to leave?”

“I told you, there are a few more details to handle, and then we will be off. I promise,” Celestia said reassuringly.

“I could have forced myself on you, you know,” Luna smiled. “I am bigger than you now.”

“Not really,” Celestia answered.

“I am! By at least a half-a-hoof!”

“No, I meant you couldn’t force yourself on me,” Celestia corrected. “Not if I really didn’t want to. You are physically capable I’m sure, but you would never do it if I was actually against it. That’s why I trust you so completely. You understand me and would never do anything to hurt me.”

The two sisters reflected each other’s smiles, their shared expressions warming each other across the distance.

“I love you, Tia,” Luna said softly.

“I know, and I love you,” she replied.

“Am...I here at a bad time?” Cadance asked from the doorway, looking in somewhat sheepishly. “I can come back.”

“I wish...” Luna muttered.

“No, of course not, Cadance. Come in, please. You were one of the last things on my agenda for the day,” Celestia stepped towards her niece. “And how is your day going?”

“It’s been... Let’s call it the latest in a series,” she smiled in response, stepping into the room.

Celestia nodded slowly. “I know that things haven’t been easy on you lately, dear Cadance, which makes this next part that much more difficult.”

“Difficult? What do you mean ‘difficult?’” Cadance stopped suddenly. “What’s wrong? Is something wrong?”

“No, no! Nothing is wrong,” Celestia said. “We just have a situation to discuss that directly pertains to you and your role here in Canterlot.”

“I don’t understand,” Cadance said slowly. “Have I made you angry?”

“Oh for stars sake!” Luna stood up and walked over to her niece. “We’re leaving. Going away. And that leaves you in charge,” she stated bluntly.

“Well, I was trying to be a little less blunt, Luna,” Celestia said.

“Wait, going away? You’re leaving?” Her head swiveled between her two aunts in rapid succession. “You can’t leave us! Equestria needs you. You’re so important to all the ponies.”

“See, this is what I was trying to avoid,” Celestia said to Luna before turning back to Cadance. “No, dear, what we mean is that we are going to go on vacation. Take a couple of weeks for ourselves.”

“Oh!” Cadance relaxed visibly. “Oh, that’s different. That’s a good thing. Actually, that’s a wonderful thing. The stress that the two of you have been under lately, what with the scanda--” She caught herself, not finishing the word, let alone the sentence.

“It’s all right, dear,” Celestia said. “You can talk about it. Luna and I know what is being said by some ponies.”

“Well, I know that you do, it’s just that I don’t want to make it any worse. I know how you two feel about each other--and you know that I do--so the only thing that bothers me is how some ponies are treating you.”

“This sort of thing isn’t easy for everypony to accept. We know that. But we love all of our subjects, and know that they will come to see the truth in time,” Celestia stated in a very understanding tone.

“You’re right, though,” Luna broke in. “The reason we are going is to get away from the scrutiny for a while. Spend some time together without worrying about the looks and the comments.”

Cadance nodded in support. “Well, don’t worry. I’ll watch things here and if anything important comes up, I’ll contact you immediately.”

“Um...no.” Celestia winced a little as she spoke. “No, you won’t. You see, we’re not going to tell you where we’re going. And we’re going to put up spells that hide us from detection while we’re gone. This is a true vacation.”

Her eyes blinked as the words echoed in Cadance’s mind. “Wait, are you telling me that I am actually going to be in charge? Of Equestria?!”

“Think of it as practice for the future, dear,” Celestia stated, wrapping a wing over the smaller unicorn. “You may have to rule a kingdom of your own some day.”

“But all of Equestria? I’m not ready for that!” Cadance protested.

“You are,” Celestia reassured her, “but I do realize that you will want some help. So, I’ve asked Twilight Sparkle to come to Canterlot to be your aide.”

“Twilight?” The young alicorn poised curiously.

“Yes, she might be young, but she is already capable well beyond her years. And she has spent some time with both Luna and myself, so--like you--she does understand how things go in court. Use her counsel.”

“I used to foalsit her, you know,” Cadance said.

“I do. And I’ve left a note for her, explaining the entire situation. I want you to give it to her when she arrives here later.” Her horn lighting up, Celestia levitated a sealed scroll up from her desk and placed it between herself and Cadance.

“Me? Why don’t you just explain it to her in person?”

“Because we won’t be here,” Luna stated as she walked to the window, opening it and peering outside.

“You’re leaving so soon?” Cadance’s eyes shot wide.

“Yes, we are. We both thought it best to not allow too much time between this announcement and our departure. No time for complications to set in--such as Twilight arriving and us having to explain the situation.”

“I’m sorry?” Cadance asked in confusion.

“Twilight is a wonderful mare, and amazingly capable, but...” Celestia rocked her head from side-to-side as her voice trailed off.

“But she tends to over-react to situations,” Luna finished. “She finds something that causes alarm on a regular basis.” The night princess moved away from the window, her own horn coming to life as she lifted her crown from her head and her chest piece from her body, moving them to a nearby dresser.

“Don’t you think that is over reacting, yourself?” Cadance asked.

“Sadly, no,” Celestia said. “I love Twilight dearly, but if I were to talk to her, she would either plead me to stay and I would, or she would have a breakdown of some sort and I would feel obligated to stay. Or she might even try to go with us, which would defeat the point of Luna and I being truly alone together for a while.”

“I hate to say it, but I see your point,” Cadance agreed.

“Excellent. One more task is completed!” Luna exclaimed as she shed her shoes and placed them on the dresser.

“What are you doing, Luna?” Cadance asked.

“We are not going to be princesses on this trip. Simply two mares,” she said with a smile.

“We will still handle our heavenly responsibilities,” Celestia stated. “I will raise the sun and Luna the moon and stars. That is our solemn duty, and not something we can forsake.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Cadance said with a laugh. “I don’t think that I could have handled those tasks myself. But I do think that the two of you are going to have trouble passing as just two mares. The horn and wing combination is a dead giveaway.”

“You are forgetting that I am a mistress of illusion. No pony will see us as who we truly are unless we wish it,” Luna explained, rising to walk around the room with no adornment. “It should be very liberating. What else is left, Tia?”

“Just one thing.” Her horn glowed once more, though there was no other obvious instant effect. The sun goddess then moved over to her own dresser and removed her crown, placing it gently in front of the mirror resting on the dresser. She looked at herself momentarily, taking in the image reflected without the familiar icon, and she smiled. Wordlessly, she proceeded to remove her chest harness and shoes, placing them with care on the dresser next to the crown.

Just as Celestia finished, the door to her chamber burst open, with over a dozen guards and two personal aides rushing into the room. Cadance jumped with a start, spinning around to see the familiar face of her husband, the Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor, at the front of the pack.

“Cadance?” he directed towards his wife, and then looking between the two princesses he continued. “Your Majesty, forgive me. We received an urgent call from you and assumed there was trouble. We didn’t mean to intrude.”

“You haven’t,” Celestia stated calmly, smiling at the loyal guard. “I did send out an urgent call, but not because of difficulty. I appreciate your enthusiasm, though. Luna and I wanted to inform you that we are both taking a temporary leave of absence. For the next two weeks or so, until the time of our return, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza will act in our stead. She is to hold full authority over the rule and decisions regarding all of Equestria. Is that clear?”

The gathered stallions looked at each other and slowly began to nod, first to each other, and then to the princesses.

“Excellent,” Celestia moved over to stand beside Luna. “Then we are leaving. I’m sure that everything will be fine, and we’ll be back before you know it.”

“Or maybe even before you want us back,” Luna added.

“Princess,” Celestia addressed Cadance, “you are in charge. I have complete faith in your ability.”

“Good luck,” Luna added as her horn flared to life, a shroud of midnight blue energy enveloping both her and her sister. Before anyone could realize what was happening, they were gone, vanished from the spot, leaving several ponies staring blankly ahead.

It was Shining Armor who broke the silence.

“So,” he turned to his wife, “you’re the ruler of Equestria?”

Cadance smiled back at him. “Looks like it.”

* * * * * * * *

Twilight stepped off the train, a huge smile on her face. It had been far too long since Princess Celestia had invited her to the castle. Especially in a time when there wasn’t a huge crisis or similar oddity happening. She was really looking forward to seeing her. And Luna.

Her relationship with both of them had changed so much in the past few months. They had become so much closer. So much more intimate--in every sense. But the physical closeness only opened up their emotional ties. They shared everything now. Twilight could trust the princess with anything, and Celestia completely trusted her.

She cantered along the platform, her smile beaming from ear to ear as she traveled without a care in the world. It was going to be so great to spend time with Celestia once again.

* * * * * * * *

“She took it that hard?” Shining Armor asked his wife.

“It wasn’t pretty. I felt bad for her, but Celestia was worried that she would overreact. And I guess trying to figure out a way to teleport both of my aunts back to Canterlot so she could talk to them was overreacting a little. Glad I was able to talk her out of it--though I doubt she would have succeeded. Still, she’s done so much for both of us. I hated seeing her break down like that,” Cadance explained.

They were lying on their bed, spooning together in the fading light of the sun. They watched the flickering light together, spending a few minutes alone and away from duty.

“I feel like I should have been there. She is my sister,” he said.

“Celestia wanted me to do it, so I’m sure there was a reason,” she replied. “And I doubt you being there would have helped prevent Twilight from being convinced that both Celestia and Luna were kidnapped by some unrevealed assailant and that’s why they disappeared.”

“But I still should have helped,” he said.

“No. No, if I can’t handle one unicorn--no matter how powerful she is--then I shouldn’t be ruling Equestria.”

“Heh.” Shining Armor laughed.

“What? Are you laughing at me? Or just the idea that I currently rule Equestria?” she shot back with a smile.

“No, no! I like the idea of you ruling Equestria. It’s just...” His voice trailed off with a tone of uncertainty.

“What?” She cocked her head back, looking over her shoulder at her husband.

“Well, it’s just... Did I ever tell you why I became a guard?” he asked.

“No, actually, you haven’t.”

“Okay--and don’t get mad--I did it...to be closer to Celestia,” he said with some hesitance.

“Closer to Celestia? What do you... Wait a second. Are you telling me that you had a crush on my aunt?” Cadance chuckled.

“Hey, it’s not like she is unattractive! What stallion doesn’t have a crush on her at one point or another?” he defended. “And mine was kinda personal. I saw her at the Summer Sun Celebration. I took Twilly there one year, and I saw her raising the sun. It was the most majestic thing I ever saw, and, well, I kinda got a crush on her. Bad, actually.”

“And you became a guard over that?” she asked.

“Yeah. Kinda dumb, I know. It took me forever to get through the ranks high enough where I saw her any more than I would have just as a civilian,” he said, mocking himself. “Still, it did have one other side effect. I got to meet you.”

“You got to meet me because I was foalsitting your sister!” she countered.

“Yeah, but it was because of Celestia teaching Twilly that you starting sitting for her,” he argued playfully.

“And what in harmony’s name does that have to do with you?” she asked.

“Well, I am her brother!” He laughed hard, knowing how ridiculous his argument had become.

“Right...” Cadance paused for a moment, thinking before continuing. “So, what was it about Celestia that got you worked up?”

“Worked up? I said I had a crush,” he explained.

“Yeah, but if you had a crush, that means you did more than just hink of her as a great leader. You thought about her sexually. And don’t lie! You know you did.” Her voice was calm and reassuring, without a hint of anger or jealousy.

“Well...” He couldn’t bring himself to talk yet.

“Was it her mane? Her face? Her flank? The spread of her wings? What?” Cadance was having too much fun putting her husband in this situation. She wasn’t about to let him off the hook.

“It...it was her... Okay, you promise you aren’t going to get mad?” he asked, fear slightly creeping into his voice.

“I’m not going to get mad! I promise,” she reassured him. “Tell me.”

“Okay. It was...her power,” he winced as he spoke.

“The fact that she could raise the sun?” Cadance asked.

“No. Well, kinda, yes, but more the way that she just...ruled. The way that everypony stood there and she looked at them as the unquestioned ruler of all of them. That level of absolute control that she had over everything. The fact that she was the Princess of Equestria.”

“A princess. I’m a Princess of Equestria, too,” Cadance said. “Wait a second. You didn’t marry me because I’m a princess, did you? You little gold digger!”

“No! I married you because I love you!” Cadance already knew that, but it was always lovely to hear. “I did kind of ask you out because of that, though...”

“What?!” She spun her head back, a shocked smile on her face. “You’re kidding me!”

“I told you that I like that. I really didn’t think that you were going to be interested in me. Not long term, anyway. I was just hoping to...”

“To what? Get some princess tail?” She laughed. He didn’t. “Oh no! You really were hoping for that! You dog!”

“Can you blame me? You’re hot! You’re the sexiest mare I’ve ever known! How could I not want that?” he explained defensively.

“The hottest, eh? What about Celestia? How many times did you go home and clop off thinking about her, huh?” She played with him, poking him while he was off balance.

“What?! What kind of question is that?” His eyes were huge and twitching.

“Uh-huh. I bet you did it more thinking about her than you ever did thinking about me,” she turned her head back, mocking a pout. He couldn’t see the smile on her face. “I’m just a lowly princess. Not even a celestial alicorn, just a primal one. I don’t have the power that you really want...”

“Honey, you know that doesn’t matter. I love you,” he said, earnestly.

“Wait a second,” her voice trailed off, “that’s not true. Not right now, anyway. I DO have that kind of power. I’m the ruler of Equestria. You’re the captain of MY guard right now.”

“Well, I guess that’s true,” he stated.

“There is no guessing about it. I am THE Princess of Equestria right now, and you are my servant. It’s as simple as that,” she explained. “And unless you have snuck your sword into bed and are pushing it against my back, I think that you like this concept.”

It was true. Shining Armor couldn’t prevent his body from reacting to his wife’s taunts. His erection was pressing against her lower back, despite his best efforts to angle it away.

“I can’t help it,” he admitted. “And it’s not like I wasn’t wanting you before you started in on this.”

“Well, Captain, I think that you need to show your princess just how far you are willing to go to serve her,” Cadance smiled, wiggling her flank against her husband.

“Oh, I’ll show you just what I’m willing to do,” he started to adjust himself, moving his hips down lower, when he was interrupted.

“Ah! Captain, I didn’t ask what you were willing to do to pleasure yourself, I want to know what you are willing to do to serve ME,” her voice was strict, but light.

“Oh, of course my princess,” he played along, “what would you require of the Captain of your Guard?”

“Well,” she pulled away and turned around to come face-to-face with him, “you’ve already saluted, so that’s taken care of.” Her eyes glanced between his legs. “So, at this point, I feel you should pay homage to the ruler of Equestria. If you don’t make me happy, I do have the power to have your rank removed from you--or worse.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he said, adjusting his position on the bed, “please allow me to show you due respect.”

He slid down her body, moving his head in to brush against her belly as he lowered himself down the bed. The dim light of the setting sun was casting the color of burning coals over the pale pink of Cadance’s coat as well as his own white hair, adding an exotic look to the mare as he stared down her body, working his way between her rear legs.

Peppering kisses along her body, he let his mouth trail slowly over her chest and stomach, and then began to kiss along her inner thigh before working his way down. He could smell her arousal before he looked at his destination. Her lips were engorged and swollen, already parted slightly, showing her arousal. He smiled, lowering his head down and placing a series of kisses along the outer area of her pubic mound.

A low moan carried through her body, landing on his ears and giving Shining Armor the signal to move ahead. With a gentle touch, he let his lips drag across the opening of her vagina as he moved to the other side to continue his regiment of kisses. Bringing his hooves up, he moved them to the outside of her thighs, caressing them gently as he brought his mouth down in a full kiss upon her nether lips.

Cadance responded by parting her legs more, beckoning him to continue, which he did in earnest. Letting his tongue slip from his mouth, Shining Armor began to lick at his wife’s pussy, gently pushing the lips apart as he pressed his tongue further. The sweet, pungent flavor hit him, bringing a smile to his lips for the briefest of moments before they began their work again.

Letting his tongue play up and down the wet opening of Cadance’s marehood, he opened and closed his lips, taking in small amounts of flesh with each toothless nibble. The groans of pleasure continued to fill the room as he puckered his lips around the growing bud hidden under the hood of Cadance’s pussy. Sucking lightly, he let the broad part of his tongue massage the clit, bringing it to a rigid point.

Letting his upper lip take over, Shining Armor took his tongue from the clit and pushed it deep into his wife’s cunt. A sharp intake of air only spurred him on, as he began to push his whole muzzle back and forth against her pussy, fucking her with his mouth. The tongue plunging into her depths with both the force of his motion and the extension of his tongue as he moved. His upper lip was aimed carefully, so that it impacted against the hardened clit with every descent.

She didn’t last very long. A sudden rapid breath signaled Shining Armor, and he brought his mouth once more to the focus of her clit, where he sucked it in with a little more force than before, letting his tongue flick back and forth across the tip. Cadance’s hips thrust up, pressing against him as she came. A deep moan of pleasure filled the room as her orgasm carried for a few moments, as he continued to assault her clit with resounding passion. Finally, her hips relaxed and he pulled his mouth free from her sex.

Shifting back, he pushed himself up to look face-to-face with his wife, expecting the content and happy mare that he had come to know. He was pleasantly surprised to discover a serious and attentive pair of eyes staring back at him.

“Do you think that you are finished, Captain?” she asked, staying in character. “An alicorn such as myself deserves--no, rather expects--far more than just that.”

“And what exactly do you want, princess?” he asked.

“What I NEED, Captain, is for you to be prepared to give me your all. Is that clear?”

“Oh yes, Your Majesty. I will be happy to do all that I can,” he answered with a smile.

“Very well then,” she looked him up and down, “I want you to stand above me.”

“I beg your pardon?” he asked in confusion.

“Captain! Don’t argue! Stand up and present your cock!” she chided.

“Oh! Well, of course, Your Majesty,” he finally understood.

Bringing himself to his hooves, he moved carefully, standing above his love, his increasingly erect penis dangling down above her head. From her viewpoint, Cadance saw her husband’s member waiting above her for attention, and had to hold herself back before taking action.

First, she brought a hoof up, letting it barely brush against the shaft of the cock, causing enough of a sensation for her to see the whole length twitch, bringing a smile to her face. She knew that he couldn’t see it, though, as the angle kept her hidden from his view. Which was perfect for what she did next.

With a single smooth motion, Cadance took the head of his dick into her mouth and effortlessly swallowed it, pushing her lips down the entire length of his shaft, plunging the tip down the back of her throat. She held it there for a moment, letting the undulations of her esophagus massage the sensitive organ before pulling it most of the way out--and then repeating the exact same action.

Shining Armor knew what a talented mouth his wife possessed. Many times in the past he had experienced her cocksucking skill, but somehow the angle and the fact that he couldn’t see her at all added to the sensation. He didn’t know what she was doing, but he felt it completely. It felt as though her mouth was pulling his cock in two separate directions simultaneously. Both the thrust and the draw were happening together, along with a vibrating sensation that he couldn’t even begin to explain. He didn’t think his dick had ever been this hard before.

And just like that, it was over. She pulled her mouth free and pushed him backwards, turning herself over and thrusting her flank in the air.

“Rut me, Captain!” she ordered. “Fuck me like I was in the prime of heat!”

“Yes, ma’am!” He didn’t need to be told twice. He straddled his wife, placing his forelegs just beyond her wings, which stood fully erect from her arousal, giving him a little more leverage as he pushed forward.

The head of his cock found her opening instantly, and he took a moment to let it brush against the wet flesh, priming both organs for penetration. He took his time, pressing slowly against the opening of her pussy until he felt it open to accept him--and then he buried himself to the hilt.

“Yessss!” Cadance hissed, feeling her husband penetrate her fully. “Fuck me!”

Shining Armor began to piston his dick inside her, letting his weight push down on her back as he pulled her against him by her wings. The wet sound of his flesh slapping against her ass was almost enough to drown out her own cries of passion. Every time he pulled against her wings, her cry became a little more sharp, as the intense erogenous zone was stimulated by her stallion.

His tempo increased, as he began slamming into Cadance with unbridled lust. The pretense of a refined colt, a Captain of the royal guard, fled as he became a wild animal. He could feel his wife’s pussy contracting against his thrusting cock with every penetration. His grunts turned to snorting, as his nostrils flared open, a bit of foam showing at the corners of his mouth.

“Goddess, Cadance, I’m so close,” he snorted.

“Celestia!” she cried. “Call me Celestia!”

“I--I don’t...” A growl came from him as he pushed into her one last time. A primal snarl escaped his mouth as a stream of cum shot deep into Cadance. That was the final sensation she needed, and her pussy clamped down tightly on his cock as she came with him. She felt each spurt of his semen filling her, coating the inside of her cunt with warm goo. He held against her, his hips twitching slightly as his cock finished its mission.

Slowly, he pulled away from her, and when his dick fell free, he collapsed on the bed beside her. She quickly followed suit, wrapping a wing around him as she brought her hooves to his chest.

“That was wonderful,” she said softly.

“Oh yeah,” he answered breathlessly, “though you almost derailed me with that Celestia thing.”

She laughed. “I thought you wanted to fuck her?”

“I didn’t say that!” he protested. “I said I had a crush on her.”

“Which means you wanted to fuck her,” she countered. “It’s okay, I’m not bothered by it. I think it’s kind of sexy, in a cute way.”

“Well, maybe at one point, but not anymore,” he explained.

“Ooh. I don’t think my aunt would want to hear that you outgrew her,” she playfully stated.

“No, no. I thought she was sexy until...” He stopped himself, not wanting to finish his sentence.

“Until what?” She looked up at him, a smile still on her face, but curiosity filling her eyes.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re all the mare that I will ever want or need,” he brought his muzzle down and kissed her, which was happily reciprocated.

But his effort failed in its primary goal. “No, seriously, what made you lose interest in Celestia?”

“I... It’s nothing. Just...nothing,” he hemmed, hoping she would back down, but knowing better in his heart.

“Shining, tell me. What’s wrong?” she coaxed.

“Well, it’s.. Okay, I’ll tell you. It’s her relationship with Luna. It’s kind of a turn-off,” he said bluntly.

“What? Because they’re both mares?” she asked.

“No way! That would be amazingly sexy. You know that I think that. Heck, I love knowing that you’ve had sex with mares in the past. It’s hot,” he said quickly. “It’s...the whole sister thing. That’s kind of gross.”

Cadance blinked. “Gross? Don’t you think that’s a little strong?”

“Well, no. It is gross. They’re sisters, for crying out loud,” he protested.

“It’s not that simple. They’re both immortal. They’re both goddesses. They have limited options,” Cadance explained.

“You’re an alicorn, too, and a goddess, right? And you didn’t hook up with a family member,” he countered.

“Again, it’s not the same,” she said, trying to stay calm, “both Celestia and Luna are cosmic entities. They work on a power level that is way beyond me. And, still, I did the exact same thing they did: I chose to be with the pony that I love.”

“But Cadance, I love Twilly, but I’m not going to marry her--or even have sex with her. That’s just...gross,” his voice sounded like he was smelling rotting food as he spoke. “A lot of the guards feel that way.”

“I don’t believe it,” she shook her head. “I just don’t believe it. Are you saying you are encouraging dissension in the ranks?” she asked.

“Of course not!” he said defensively. “I would lay down my life for either Celestia or Luna. I have a sworn duty to that effect. And if any of my guards wouldn’t do the same, they would be dismissed. This is about personal matters, not duty.”

“Personal matters? So, what you’re saying is that if you had a choice you wouldn’t do it, then?” her voice grew an edge as she spoke.

“You’re twisting my words, dear,” he said, a bit of edge creeping into his voice as well. “I never said anything like that.”

“Sure you did,” she replied quickly. “You said--very plainly--that you protect them from duty, but didn’t like them personally. What did I miss?”

“Okay, okay, this is getting out of hoof. We just had a wonderful moment together, and I don’t--”

“No, I’m sure you don’t!” she interrupted and rolled out of bed away from her husband. “You know, earlier today I had to listen to a narrow minded mare that not only thought that what my aunts feel is wrong, but that they should be removed from power because of it. Now I find out that my own husband feels pretty much the same.”

She walked over to the door to their chamber, determination defining every step along the way.

“Where are you going?” Shining Armor asked.

“To spend the night alone,” she answered. “I’ll let you know when I need your services again, Captain.”

She slammed the door behind her as she left.

* * * * * * * *

“Are you sure this is a good idea, sister?” Luna asked as they walked down the street, dozens of ponies passing by them casually.

“Absolutely. This is the best possible place for us to vacation,” Celestia answered.

No pony gave either one a second glance, except for the occasional seductive smile from a passing stallion. But without any acknowledgement from either mare, they just kept on walking.

“But, Las Pegasus? Surely there is a more refined place that we could visit. Prance perhaps? Or Roam, even?” Luna suggested.

“Trust me, sister, this is ideal. No pony will even think about us being here. This is where all ponies come to play,” she reassured her. “We will be pretty much invisible as goddesses.”

“We’re not invisible, though pony is going to recognize us wherever we go,” Luna clarified. “I have an illusion in place that has changed our appearance completely. Both of us are simple unicorns out together. Though our colors remain the same--with a more terrestrial mane, mind you.”

“I have no doubt that we blend in, Luna, but I don’t want to just go unnoticed. I want to be able to be a part of this place. To enjoy myself the way that any other pony would,” Celestia stated happily.

“Oh, you mean by doing things like watching her?” Luna nodded towards a street performer off to one side of the walkway. The bright, flashing lights of the strip disguised her color slightly, but even with the flares of blue and red, you could tell that the pony in question had a very pale pink coat. Fake wings rested on her back while what appeared to be a genuine horn sat on her head, right next to a rather gaudy and ostentatious crown.

“Oh, my hair looks beautiful!” she announced to the gathered crowd, who laughed as she spoke. “I love to make new friends!”

The pair of princesses stopped and looked at the actress as she went through her routine. Luna smiled, mostly because she saw how wide-eyed her sister became watching the ordeal.

“I’m a princess! Are you a princess too?” the false Celestia asked. “I am Princess Celestia! Let’s fly to the castle! I will light the way!”

“Please tell me that I don’t talk like that,” Celestia pleaded to her sister. “And you would think that she could at least dye her coat white. Pink? That’s more of Cadance’s look. And I do not speak in such a...vapid manner. This is insulting.”

Luna laughed, enjoying her sister’s moment of uncomfortable fame. “Don’t worry, you sound nothing like that. It’s just a good thing that--” Her words cut off as a dark grey pony stepped up alongside the pink one, a fake horn attached to her head to go with a real pair of wings.

“And if thou would likes to see-est our two-pony show, you hast but to visit the Crazy Horse Saloon, just off the strip. The hottest mares in all of Las Pegasus, performing for your pleasure,” she said in a very bad impression of the night princess. “Come and witness-est mine sister and me as we do all of the naughty things that thou hast heard rumored.” She let her tongue go out and lick across her teeth, which were capped with obviously fake fangs. “On stage. Twice nightly.”

A whoop of excitement rose up from the stallions in the crowd. And from a fair share of the mares, as well.

“I’m going to flay them alive,” Luna said calmly.

“Easy sister,” Celestia held back a chuckle. “They’re just trying to make a living. Even if it is at our expense.”

“It’s bad enough to get that sort of thing in Canterlot, Tia! But we’re on vacation. Why do we have to put up with it here?” Her voice was not that of a happy pony.

“Listen to them,” Celestia spoke softly. “They aren’t attacking us. They’re having fun. Some of them even sound excited.”

“Excited by the taboo of it,” Luna said spitefully. “Not even by the fact that the grey one has a nice flank.”

Celestia turned, one eyebrow raised at her sister.

“What? She does. It’s just an observation,” Luna said.

“Hmmmph,” Celestia snorted. “Not as nice as the pink mare’s.”

“You wish,” Luna replied.

“Maybe we should visit this Crazy Horse Saloon. You know, just to get a better measure for arguments sake,” Celestia suggested.

Luna turned toward her sister, a slight look of disbelief on her face. “Get you out of the castle and you change.”

Celestia smiled. “Come on, we have reservations for a suite at the Whynny.”

“A suite? Still living in style, eh?” Luna stepped in alongside her sister as they made their way down the strip.

It was a short walk to their destination, with plenty of pony-watching to keep them entertained along the way. The door to the hotel was held for them as they stepped inside the luxurious and well-appointed lobby. Celestia stepped up to the desk.

“Good evening, ladies. Welcome to the Whynny. How can I help you today?” the mare behind the desk asked pleasantly.

“Yes, we have a reservation. Under the name Morning Blaze,” she said.

“Okay, let me look that up,” the clerk went through the registry, searching for the name. “Ah, yes, here we are. A deluxe suite. It says here that you will be staying for eight nights, is that correct?”

“That’s right,” Celestia answered.

“Eight nights? I thought we were giving ourselves two weeks?” Luna asked.

“Yes. But I thought that five nights in Prance would be nice, too,” Celestia answered.

Luna blinked, staring at Celestia. Finally she bent over and kissed her sister on the cheek. “I love you,” she said softly. “You’re going to get a special reward for that tonight.”

“And how many keys will you need?” the clerk asked.

“Two, please,” she answered.

“All right, and what name is the second key under?”

“Lulamoon,” Luna answered. “Ebon Lulamoon.”

“Oh, are your related to our own Lulamoon?” The clerk gestured over to a large poster that hung in the lobby, advertising a show by The Great and Powerful Trixie. It displayed the familiar mare in a dynamic costume, far more elaborate than anything she had worn before, rearing up while a rain of light fell down behind her. “As a special consideration, we do have some seats set aside for guests who stay in one of our suites. Her show has been sold out since its debut, you know.”

“I’ve heard,” Luna answered. “And yes, I would rather like to see her show. She doesn’t know that I’m in town, and I don’t want to bother her, so I was hoping to get tickets.”

“Well then, I’ll be sure to have a pair of seats set aside for tomorrow’s show. Does that work for you?”

“That works fine,” Celestia answered, levitating the keys out of the clerk’s hoof. “You’ve been very helpful.”

“Enjoy your stay at the Whynny,” she said to the sister’s as they departed the desk.

The sisters walked over towards the elevators, the din of the casino echoing through the area and drawing their attention with enticing sounds of bells and chimes.

“I think that I might want to actually try gambling at this place, Luna,” Celestia said. “It would be nice to wager something without our friends being involved. And it’s not like you or I ever spend all of the bits that we earn.”

“Later,” Luna said. “We need to get to the room first.”

“Why?” Celestia asked.

“Haven’t you heard? We have a special two-pony show to put on. Private performance,” Luna growled suggestively.

“Oh. Oh yes.” Celestia stepped onto the elevator with joy, her sister right behind.

* * * * * * * *

The brown liquid went down her throat with a familiar burning sensation. Even knowing it was coming, it took a moment for her to recover and get her breathing to come back to normal. Cadance wasn’t much of a drinker.

She was at least grateful that she had a place to go. With Celestia gone and her now the official ruler of Equestria, she had access to her aunt’s quarters. As well as the liberties that went along with it. Such as having a guard fetch a couple of bottles of brandy from the royal distillery.

A sudden knock at the door surprised the princess, as did her reaction to it. “What? What do you want?”

The door creaked open and a familiar purple unicorn stuck her head inside. “Um, Cadance? Is everything okay?”

“Oh, hi Twilight,” Cadance answered softly. “Sorry. I’m just...a little on edge.”

Stepping inside, Twilight used her magic to close the door behind her. “I kind of thought that might be the case. I went looking for you and Shining Armor in your room, but the guards told me that neither of you were there. And that you sort of stormed off and came up here to Celestia’s room. I thought I might come and see if you needed to talk or something.”

“Heh. Celestia is always the wise one, isn’t she?” Cadance said.

“What? I don’t get it,” Twilight answered. “I mean, yes, she is wonderfully wise, but--I don’t get it.”

“Just something she said to me about you earlier,” she answered. “And actually, it would be great to talk. Especially to somepony who I think will really understand.”

Twilight trotted over to the princess and sat down on the other side of the small table where Cadance waited, a smile and cheery attitude plastered on her face. “I’m all ears!”

Cadance poured herself another snifter of brandy, and then looked over at Twilight. “Would you like some?”

The unicorn eyed the liquid suspiciously. “Um, what is it? Is that alcohol?”

“Yep!” Cadance took a small swig from her glass. “Brandy. Good brandy.”

“And why are you drinking it?” Twilight asked.

“Because I’m mad at my husband!” Cadance smiled and took another swig. “Your brother.”

“And how’s that going to help?”

“It’s not. Not one bit,” Cadance stated. “And I’m not really a drinker, so it’s probably going straight to my head, but that works just fine after the day I’ve had.”

“I can imagine,” Twilight said.

“You know, I think you can,” Cadance answered. “You’ve been through so much in the past couple of years that I’m surprised you don’t own a liquor store.”

“Well, Applejack has some cider that I’ve tried a few times. It was pretty good, actually,” she eyed the bottle with curiosity. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try it...”

Cadance didn’t wait for any further encouragement. Pouring a second glass, she levitated it over to her companion who took it from her with her own magic. Twilight brought the bell-shaped glass up to her muzzle and took a sniff of the fragrant fluid. She recoiled slightly, looking over at the pink alicorn.

“Just a sip. Don’t drink it all down,” Cadance suggested.

Raising the glass once more, Twilight brought it to her lips and let a small amount of the contents drain into her mouth. She swallowed it quickly, and just as quickly began to cough.

“Easy,” Cadance laughed. “Take it easy. It’s a bit strong, I know.”

“How...how can you drink that stuff?” Twilight asked in broken breaths.

“Hold on,” Cadance said as she levitated over a bucket of ice containing a separate bottle of the fine liquor. “Try this one.”

She emptied the previous contents into her snifter, and poured the chilled brandy into the glass and gave it back over to Twilight, whose eyes betrayed just a hint of hesitance. But curiosity won her over again and she took the chilled liquid from her friend and brought the glass to her lips once more. This time she didn’t cough.

“That was much better,” she said in surprise.

“Chilling it takes some of the edge off, but you lose a bit of flavor,” Cadance said, realizing that she knew more about this than she wanted to admit, even if she didn’t partake frequently. Years of experience add up.

“I like this. It has a rich flavor, without the burning,” Twilight said after another sip.

“Cheers,” Cadance raised her own glass up and brought it over, a chime indicating the two pieces of fine glasswear--if the tone was any indication--had touched.

Both ponies took another drink. And then another. And it kept going until their respective bottles of brandy were surprisingly low.

“...and so Zhecora and I hooked up. I mean, it was just for a bit. Not a money bit, but a time bit,” Twilight clarified. “But she’s back in the Everfree Forest, now tha...now that we helped her find a new tree. House. A tree house. Like I have, actually. But without the books.”

“And you two would make for a cute couple!” Cadance insisted. “And a smart one. Nopony would get a riddle past you two!”

“Zhecora thinks that Luna still is Nightmare Moon. Which ish totally silly, right? I mean, she’s not, right? You can tell, can’t you?” Twilight’s words came out in with far less edge than normal.

“Oh, I don’t know. What difference does it make? She loves Celeshia. Nightmare Luna thinks that Celeshia is the best pony in the whole world! Who doesn’t? I mean, she’s big and white, and she controls the sun! What’s not to love? Your brother used to loves her! At least he thought about loving her,” Cadance stated.

The ponies had moved over to Celestia’s bed, looking out the window at the night sky, talking about whatever came to mind. Mostly it had been about relationships. And at some point, they had put on the crowns left behind by both Luna and Celestia. Cadance wore Celestia’s--as well as her own--and Twilight had Luna’s on her own head.

“Y’know--y’know, I kinda,” Twilight looked around to make sure that no pony else was listening, which had to be the case since they were alone, “I kinda had sex with them.” She nodded knowingly.

“Ha! I knew it!” Cadance shifted in the bed, rising up on her front hooves to get a better look at Twilight. “They never told me, but I could tell by the way that they talked about you.”

“Really? I thought they were waaaaay past that now,” Twilight said, smiling. “But it did seem that they both wanted me to choose one of them instead of the other. But I don’t wanna. They’re both so pretty.”

“Yeah. My aunts are hot,” Cadance said. She furrowed her brow as her face turned to a frown. “I just wish that everypony knew them like we do. Well, hey, I don’t KNOW them like you do!” she laughed. “But no, seriously, they love each other soooooo much. And all anypony sees is that it’s two sisters. Not two mares in love. I wish I could fix that.”

Twilight frowned with her friend, staring at her for a moment. Then her eyes grew huge and her mouth hung open. “Wait! Wait! Cadance, you totally can! You totally CAN fix that!”

“I’m trying,” she answered, “but nopony wants to lissen to me.”

“No, no, no! You totally can make them see how much they love each other, right? Right?!” Twilight pushed the alicorn’s shoulder as though to make her point more clear.

“I don’t follow you,” Cadance answered.

“Well, you are the goddess of love, right? So, you can show everypony how they feel!” Twilight explained.

Cadance stared at her and then the very dim light of recognition shone in her eyes. “Oh! Oh, hey, you’re right! I can do that! I can really do that!”

Shifting on the bed, Cadance moved herself to the edge and slowly put her hooves onto the floor. She could swear that the floor was uneven and briefly wondered why Celestia didn’t get that fixed. She started walking, not exactly directly, to the window they were staring out.

“What’re you doing?” Twilight asked, rising up to a sitting position.

“What you said! I’m gonna let everypony else in Canterlot know the kind of love Celestia and Luna feel. They’re gonna get a full dose of it!” Cadance smiled back at her friend.

“Oh! Okay, that sounds like a good idea,” Twilight advised poorly.

Cadance turned back around to the window, her face screwing into a dreadfully serious expression. She concentrated, a pink glow starting to shine in her eyes. It grew until the light was bright enough to cast the room in a brilliant shade.

“Ooooooooh,” Twilight elicited, watching the magic performance. “Here, let me help!”

The purple unicorn staggered out of bed and over to Cadance, bringing her horn over near the other mare’s. A brilliant lavender ignited on the tip of Twlight’s spire, as she brought it into contact with Cadance’s own horn. Immediately, a huge flash of purple and pink light spiraled up and away from the two mares and into the night sky above Canterlot.

A gigantic magenta heart formed above the city, casting the whole of the populous into its glow. The construct wavered for a moment, and then exploded in a fireworks display of magical energy. Billions of drops of lilac magic rained down upon Canterlot, covering the streets and passing into the buildings. Twilight and Cadance watched as their own room was filled with the magical material, harmlessly cascading down through the air, passing through the furniture and objects decorating the room, and even through the two of them.

In only a few seconds it was over, and two giggling mares, leaning heavily against each other, moved back over to the bed. They collapsed onto it in a heap, each one falling over the other as the bed softened their fall. It took almost a minute for them to stop laughing.

“You--you know, I can totally see it,” Cadance said.

“What?” Twilight asked.

“What my aunts see in you,” she replied.

“You’re just saying that!” Twilight protested weakly.

“No, no! I mean it. You’re really, really cute!” Cadance stared over at the unicorn sharing the bed with her, their eyes locking.

Slowly, Cadance leaned in and kissed Twilight on the lips.

...to be continued.