Ch.9 The Winter Solstice Celebration
Luna smiled as Aero cuddled up to her on their bed, the moon now steadily rising and casting its silvery light on the inhabitants of Ponyville. They had gone back to their room after the party had finished, Aero draped over Luna's back in slumber. It had been quite an adorable sight to any who had seen it. To Luna though, it meant having to enter his dreams and break the news to him. Knowing this she leaned down and nuzzled him, causing a slight smile as he continued sleeping.
She sighed and laid her head next to his and closed her eye's, Allowing herself to drift into the dream realm where once again she was surrounded by stars. It didn't take her long to find Aero's dreams as they seemed to gravitate toward her. As she watched his dreams she smiled. He was currently dreaming of her, Daybreaker, and Moony. They all sat in a bedroom much like the one they were in now, laughing as a little foal played on the floor. She watched for a while more before entering the dream and taking the place of herself. However as soon as she had done that, she watched as Daybreaker and Moony dissapeared, leaving a confused Aero sitting in front of her.
"Did Daybreaker and Moony have somewhere to go?" he asked.
"No my dearest. They simply weren't here. I must tell you that you are dreaming." She answered, allowing it to sink in for a second as the realization dawned on him.
"This is a dream? But it seems so real." he said as he looked around at the room they were in.
"Indeed my Aero. I came here because we have much to discuss." She said, her face falling slightly at the news she would have to break to him.
"What about?" He asked.
"I...shall soon be with foal." She said, taking a deep breath as she waited for his response. She watched as different emotions flashed across his face. Surprise and confusion predominantly showing as he processed what she told him.
It was what felt like an eternity before he spoke.
"But how? We only...did that...once." He said as a fiery blush lit up his face at the thought of the previous night.
"I may have neglected to mention that when we...slept together, I had started my heat. I believe your seed has already taken." Luna said as she looked up form staring at the floor, a look of shame on her face as she met his gaze. Aero simply stared at her for a few minutes. His own thought's going in circles as he allowed her revelation to sink in. He would now be the father of not one, but two foals. And that...was surprisingly okay with him. He smiled and leaped into Luna, catching her off guard as he wrapped his hooves around her neck in a hug. He nuzzled her cheek before leaning back and looking at her.
"You don't have to be sad." He said, a smile on his face. Luna simply stared at him in shock. To think that a colt as young as him was able to keep a level head in the light of such a revelation simply astounded her. And at the same time made her realize just how much she truly cared for him. They had not been together long but in that moment, Luna knew that she loved him more than any other. She smiled and captured his lips in a tender kiss, allowing her love for him to make itself known. Aero, now use to her kisses and the kisses of Daybreaker and Moony, kissed back with a slight smile on his face.
Luna however broke off their kiss, leaving Aero sitting there with his trademark daydreamy grin.
"There is one other thing we must speak of." She said, now with a light smile and a faint blush. "Now that you are courting myself and my sisters, you'll be known as our Royal Consort. This is a title that we hope you will wear with pride."
Aero looked at her once again in confusion. "I...I don't know what that is...sorry." he said as he looked down sheepishly. Luna however simply giggled as she pulled him close to her.
"A Royal Consort is a pony who is courting royalty. It is simply a title that shows your station within the castle. From here on you might see a lot of ponies bowing to you. We, meaning my sisters and I, do not expect you to act as a noble or anything like that, so you may rest easy. But we wish to tell you that many nobles may seek to befriend you in order to attain status or power. You must be wary of those you call friend." She explained. Despite not wanting to tell him this in first place, she knew that he would find out eventually, and she would rather have him know now than be taken advantage of later. Aero looked down at his hooves as he snuggled into her, her left wing draped over him. He mulled it over for a while before looking up into her teal eyes.
"So, does that mean I'll be a prince?" he asked, causing her to let out a small laugh.
"You will be referred to as the Royal Consort until we are wed, then you shall be known as a Prince. Though I do believe you may make a far better prince than our dear nephew." She said as a grimace flashed across her face at the thought of Prince Blueblood. Anypony who was anypony knew just how pompous and rude he could be.
"Your nephew?" he asked, his curiosity now piqued.
"Indeed love. I hope you never have the mispleasure of meeting him, though you might have no choice. Should you meet him in any capacity, I ask that you simply leave him be. He is a most rude and deplorable stallion, who we are rather ashamed to admit relation to." She explained, allowing a brief image of him to show before them. Aero looked the image over before it dissipated, leaving him still just as curious as to who this Prince was.
As he pondered this he felt Luna's hoof snake around him and pull him closer as she laid her head next to him, her left eye watching him as snuggled even further into the warmth. Of all the princesses in Aero's herd, Luna had the best snuggles in his opinion. He smiled as they enjoyed each others company. It wasn't long before they closed their eye's in this dream world, and allowed themselves to drift off into a dreamless and relaxing slumber.
It didn't take long after they had woken up the next day for the town to get everything set up for the Celebration. With Twilight at the head of organizing everything, there wasn't a pony standing around who didn't know what they were suppose to do, Aero included. He sat with Luna as they watched the stage for her raising of the moon being erected. It was getting dark now and it would be time for the festivities to begin. On the other side of Luna sat Celestia, Moony and Daybreaker. They all seemed quite excited for the fun to start.
"Im proud of you little sister." Celestia said as she leaned over and nuzzled Luna, a small smile etched on her lips. Luna smiled in return as she wiped away a tear from her sister's eye. Since her return from banishment many ponies still feared her, but more than half had come to know her as their wonderous Lunar Princess, along with Moony who was still a hit with the fillies and colts. Aero watched the heartwarming scene before noticing that Twilight was now standing in front of them with the biggest smile Aero had ever seen on a pony, except for maybe Pinkie.
"Princess all the preparations are done and we are ready to start." She said happily. In front of them a large crowd made up of the residents of Ponyville and many Canterlotians waited with abated breath for Luna to start things off. Slowly she stood, along with Celestia as they took center stage. Luna cleared her throat and cast a spell to amplify her voice before speaking.
"Citizens of Ponyville and those who have come from afar. We are pleased that you have come on this, the longest night of the year. We are proud that so many have found beauty in our night as they do our sisters day. And for this we wish to thank you, for tonight I and my sister have gift for you." She said as they both began flapping, raising themselves up into the sky as their horns lit up. The sun dipped below the horizon as the moon made itself known, showing billions of stars. However once the moon reached above the horizon, both Luna and Celestia funneled even more magic, causing the largest meteor shower that Equestria had ever seen. Ponies stood in awe as the watched the shower of light cascade across the sky. Soon the two princesses brought themselves back down, the shooting stars continuing for a few minutes more before Luna spoke once more.
"Now, I would also like to announce that myself, and my sisters Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker have found ourselves a special somepony. Please give a cheer for our dearest Aero Ruinwing!" she said, smiling with joy as Aero took his place next to her, along with his other two mares. He then took a bow as everypony cheered. "Now, Let the Festivities begin!" Luna exclaimed as everypony dispersed to enjoy the games and food, Luna walked over to Aero and leaned down to nuzzle him.
"Thank you, my dearest Aero. You have brought something to our kingdom that shall last for all of time." Luna said, Leaving Aero with yet another blush. Smiling, she took his hoof and pulled him along to a game stall that was nearby. Celestia simply watched as her little sister spent the night having fun with her coltfriend. The joy on her face was something that Celestia had wanted to see for so long. And it simply came from the fact that she was finally starting to be treated as an equal. She continued to watch them have their fun as they were joined by Daybreaker and Moony, who were currently arguing over who Aero was going to sit next to at the food table.
She giggled before turning to leave the stage and join them in their fun. However something had caught her eye as she descended the stairs. Twilight was standing a few hooves away, staring at their little ragtag group with a look of want. It was a look that Celestia knew all too well in her years of ruling her country. Her faithful student and fellow princess was smitten. With a smile she walked up to her and tapped her right shoulder, causing her to jump into the air with an adorable squeak as she turned to see nopony there. She almost jumped again as she looked to her left only to be face to face with a grinning Princess Celestia.
"I know that look Twilight. You like him don't you." She said as Twilight began blushing hard enough to start a fire. "Have you told him?"
"U-Um, no." She said as she looked down sheepishly, her voice small and slightly shaky with nerves. "Um, I don't know if I'm ready to."
Celestia simply smiled and pulled Twilight in for a hug. She wrapped a wing around her as she felt her heart rate going down. "That is understandable. Though I'd advise you speak to him about it soon. After all, I know my sisters, and they can be quite stingy when it comes to Aero." Celestia said as she looked back up to the herd as Aero yelled in triumph while a pyramid of bottles fell over. She giggled at the blush on Daybreakers face as he handed her a pony sized plushie of herself.
"I...I guess I can talk to him about it." Twilight said, her blush already as heavy as it could get. At that, Celestia released their hug and smiled as she led Twilight to the group. "Come my old student, let us have some fun."
Twilight smiled as they joined the rest in their games. However what Twilight didn't know was the Luna had managed to procure a simple banana cream pie, and as Celestia and Twilight joined them, she levitated the pie and smashed it so quickly into Celestia's face that she had no time to react. At this everything went quiet as the inhabitants watched in both horror and curiosity. Celestia stood and slowly wiped the cream from her eye's. Luna simply stared at her with the worlds largest shit eating grin as she leaned in with a loud whisper.
"That was for the paint, dear sister."
As soon as what she said had sunk in, she burst out laughing as she took the rest of the pie and squished it into Luna's face. At that she turned and took off toward the food table to restock on something else to squish into her sisters face, along with a now laughing Luna trailing after. It wasn't long before even the ponies of Ponyville joined in on what would later be known as the largest Food Fight that Equestria had ever known.
However unbeknownst to the Royals and their subjects, something dark and sinister watched from the shadows of the Everfree forest, waiting for the right time to make itself known. With a blink of it's golden eye's, it sunk back into the forest and to it's resting place. Soon all of Equestria would know it's name and would shiver in fear. With a maniacal laugh it vanished, leaving the unsuspecting ponies and Royalty to continue in their revelry.