“Night Mistress!”
“General Nightsong, you need not bow to me.”
“Of course I do, you are my queen.”
Patience, Moony, you'll have more than enough time to correct his stifling formality once this war is finally won. “How goes the war?”
“Excellent! Everything is proceeding as planned, the final pocket of Celestine resistance in the Grand Duchy of Lancanter has been thoroughly crushed, leaving only the City of Everfree itself in the Tyrant Sun's control.”
“Good, and what of Everfree?”
“The Tyrant Sun's garrison theoretically numbers almost 15 000 mares, but, at most, one in five are actually in the condition to fight. Even more, the ponies are chafing under the tyrannical rule of the Celestine Cult. To say that morale is poor would be a massive understatement. Even in the Tyrant Sun's seat of power, ponies would gladly bend the knee if it meant the end of the war and Celestine tyranny.”
“And our preparations?”
“They are finished; between the Thestralis, the Lunar Houses, the Nightsworn and the Lunatic Cults, over 260 000 mares are ready to march on your command, Night Mistress. And communing with the forest has gone well, even the Everfree itself tires of the tyranny of the Celestine Cult, it wishes for you to free its ponies from the Tyrant Sun's grip. The war is won, Night Mistress, all you have to do is take it.”
“Sigh, there is just one thing you are not taking into consideration, my loyal general.”
“There is?”
“Aye, my goodstallion Nightsong, there is one mare who could take our victory and turn it into ash in our mouths.”
“... the Tyrant Sun.”
“Aye, my Nightsong, my dear sister still sits her fat flank in my castle, plotting and scheming and doing stars know what. Need I remind you what happened the last time she met me upon the field of battle?”
“... the stone still burns, nearly a year later.”
“Where once stood a city of 180 000 ponies, the very stone still burns. And I fear that Everfree may soon burn too.”
“But, the Tyrant Sun would have nothing to gain from destroying Equestria's capital city, the only part of the Principality still loyal to her. It would be the murder of countless civilians for no tactical or strategic gain. Do you really think she would do such a thing?”
“I ... I do not know, I have no idea what Princess Celestia will do. But one thing is sure, she does not take losses with any kind of grace. When I ...” Not me. I'm sorry, Luna, some day they will know the truth; some day the world will mourn your death at the barbed tongue of your very sister, but, until then, I need the sovereignty of your Name “... would beat her in even a simple game of chess, she would flip the board in rage. If she does that over losing a game what would she do over losing a war?”
“Oh ...”
“Oh, indeed.”
...
“As such, I am sorry, but I have to ask for you to stay here with most of the army as I march upon Everfree with the Lunatics alone.”
“What? Night Mistress ...”
“I know it is denying you your victory, but I cannot risk losing you in my sister's tantrums. If the worst comes to pass, 30 000 zealots is of no great loss to Equestria.”
“M-m-my victory? This isn't anypony's victory but yours, Night Mistress.”
“Of course it is, this is a victory for all of Equestria, most of all you.”
“But ...”
He's adorable when he blushes, “No, I won't hear it. You were the one who wrote the tactics and stratagems that brought us victory. You determined the weaknesses of orthodox Equestrian military doctrine, you developed ways to exploit those weaknesses. It was your 'asymmetric warfare' that hobbled a foe outnumbering us ten to one, rendering them incapable of responding or retaliating to us; it was your gambit that humiliated the largest army in the history of the Principality, causing the entire Founding House of Hurricane to flee in so much shame that they still haven't gathered the courage to reappear.”
“You flatter me, Night Mistress, but none of that would have ever been possible without the long range communication afforded by dreamwalking, without your blessing to make us your Thestralis.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not. I have faith that you would have still found a road to victory, even without my blessing.”
“And I know that you have bled more for the cause than any hundred mares, Night Mistress; one cannot go an hour in the encampment without some veteran talking of how you, personally, saved her from certain death at the hooves of the enemy, often at great harm to yourself.”
“Nightsong, you know as well as I that blood is cheap; it is your intellect that is priceless, and I will hear no more protestations to the contrary.” Why do you have to be so damned humble, stallion?
“Understood, Night Mistress.”
“Look into my eyes, my Nightsong. I promise you that once I have dealt with Celestia – when the City of Everfree, standing or not, is free of whatever fell plot her twisted mind has conjured – you will lead the Triumph. All of Equestria will know you were the architect behind their liberation from tyranny,” and then, at the climax of the march, I will finally take you as my husband, my love; to hell with your protestations of impropriety, I AM THE QUEEN.
“Yes, my queen.”
“Nightsong.”
...
“Nightsong.”
...
“Nightsong.”
“... Night Mistress?”
“Yes, it is I, my Nightsong.”
“Oh, thank the stars, you're alive; we thought ... we thought we had lost you.”
“I ...”
...
...
“You're not dying are you, Night Mistress? Is that why you're so faint?”
“Ha, no, I am not dying.”
“Oh, thank the stars! What happened, my queen?”
“I ... I made a mistake; I underestimated Celestia's foolishness. Never did I imagine that she would try to turn the Elements of Harmony against me. Never did I imagine she could possibly succeed. She has managed to banish me. I do not have much time left, I can feel the chains tightening as we speak, soon my connection to the Realm of Dreams will be squeezed shut.”
“The moon ...”
“Aye, ironic isn't it; my own Mantle, now my prison.” Not my Mantle, Luna's Mantle. “Even worse, Celestia broke the Elements.”
“She broke the Elements?”
“Aye, she did. Equestria's final line of defence rendered into inert stone spheres – the very virtues they represent Sundered from the terrestrial plane – all because an immature, foal of a mare refused to accept defeat and threw a bucking tantrum.”
“Oh ...”
“I'm certain you've already felt their absence, seen the effects in others. The Honest lie, the Generous steal, the Kind scorn, the Joyous despair and the Loyal betray.
“I don't understand, Night Mistress.”
“Sigh, of course you don't.”
“I'm sorry, Night Mistress!”
“Peace, my dear Nightsong, it is not your fault. Nonetheless I have one final Duty for you. Kneel.”
“Of course, my queen.”
“Our dear faithful General Nightsong, by the power invested in us by War and Darkness and the Moon, we name thee Lord Nightsong of House Nocturne. We charge thee to lead thy ponies, the Thestralis, through the dark times to come, to protect them from those that would wish them harm. This Duty will pass to all who carry the name Nocturne until the moment we are permitted to return.” I know you never wished for a noble title, Nightsong; but your wishes are subordinate to your tribe's survival.
...
“Now rise, Lord Nightsong Nocturne, rise and take thy Duty upon thy withers.”
...
"I am so proud of you, Nightsong. You have grown so much from that young lost colt you once were ..."
“Night Mistress, how long will it be until your return?”
“Sigh ... do not wait for me, I wish to meet your descendants upon my return, and I will be very disappointed if your line were to die out before my return.”
“Oh ...”
“Oh don't be like that, there are plenty of good, virtuous Thestralis mares who would happily marry you. After all, I gave quite a few more mares my blessing than stallions.”
“Night Mistress!”
He's adorable when he blushes, “And one more thing, when I return, I may not be myself; your descendants may need to bring me to my senses.” The Moon is so cold ... and dark ... and lonely. “My time here grows ever shorter ...”
“Night Mistress?”
“Yes, my dear Nightsong?”
“I love you.”
“I know ...” I love you too.