A Beautiful Night

http://archive.heinessen.com/mlp/thread/18150240#p18435799

Most people never really stopped to consider what the Princess of the Night actually did on a nightly basis. It couldn’t be diplomacy, that was taken care of by Celestia during the day. Did she simply laze about until it was time to lower the moon, did she fend off nightly terrors, or did she tend to the nightmares of the children like they all insisted she did but the parents dismissed saying it was just ‘vivid dreams’ and they knew best? (stupid parents) Well, all of the above were sort of true, she did tend to the nightmares of the children (and gave them to their parents), and she would disperse potentially dangerous wildlife that ventured a tad too close towards towns under her watchful eye, and observe for changeling activity. As for the first one, well, she had become lax with her defense duties over the past few months, leaving them to her Nightwatch. Not because she was lazy mind you, but rather due to a sizable increase in her girth. Princess Luna, over the past year or so, had been courting a certain farmhand after a meeting at the local fair. He had been...shy at first, but the two eventually warmed close, and, well, they had twins due in two months.

On this night in particular, the Princess was drifting on a cloud across the Equestrian countryside, humming a lullaby to the occasionally rippling blue orb that was her midsection.

“Settle, my children. We are nearly there”. The ‘there’ in question was the outskirts of Ponyville, specifically, Sweet Apple Acres. As she drifted closer, she saw a familiar red stallion waiting by the barn. Standing up on her small ‘chariot’, she opened up her wings and hopped off. In the past, she could glide down without much extra effort, the past couple of weeks, however, she had difficulty controlling her momentum in the air thanks in part to an extra 200lbs onboard. Not that it bothered her.

With as graceful as a land she could pull, and with a bit of a wobble, Luna approached her loving stallion.

“Fiar Macintosh”

“Mm, Princess”

The two shared a brief kiss and rubbed necks, Big Mac taking the extra step to nuzzle her swollen flank. Their relationship had never been under the radar for very long, and word spread quickly. A princess, in a relationship with a rural farmhand, unheard of! A pregnancy before a formal marriage, absurd! Luna simply shrugged the traditions off, and, the Canterlot elite didn’t dare question her, not when there’s a demigod involved, one that’s known for liberal use of the Royal Canterlot Voice. Still, the paparazzi’s hounding was enough to prompt the two to meet at odd hours.

So now that the two were together, what then? Save the world from changelings, night stroll around Canterlot? Nope, the two opted simply lay on one of the rolling hills of the farm and gaze at the stars, naming constellations as they spotted them. That’s what she loved about him; he didn’t care about wealth, or fancy things to keep himself happy, the simple happiness of life sustained him, and by extension, that love had rubbed off on her as well.

“They’re always so beautiful” she said absently as she gazed up

“Not as beautiful as you, Moon Pie” he retorted. She made a face, and went in for another kiss. He always had a thing for weird lovie-dovie pet names, but she’d rather banish herself back to the moon than change a single thing about him.

Part 2

The two broke their kiss and probably would have resumed their gazing, had Luna’s ears not perked up at the sound of something rustling not too far behind them and spotted something ducking behind the barn door. Standing as quickly as she could without toppling over from her own weight, the princess flared her wings and made her presence known, “Who goes there!?”
She had expected a lot of things to pop out from behind the barn door, a pony with a camera, a changeling, maybe even an owlkin. Instead, a yellowish filly with a red bow poked her head out.

“Applebloom, what are you doing out so late?” Her older brother asked.

“I’m sorry, big brother. It’s just ah couldn’t sleep and ah saw you an Princess Luna stargazin’, but I didn’ wan tah interrupt ya so I just sat back an watched” The couple cast looks at each other for a moment before Luna spoke up.

“Child, there’s no need to hide, come and join us” the little one didn’t hesitate to snuggle up between the two ponies, a bit more so towards Luna given her widened sides. Well, no “extra activities” for tonight then, the princess mused in her head. After a few minutes of naming constellations passed, one of the twins decided it was time to wake up and stretch their limbs, right into Applebloom’s side. Rather than freak-out, the little filly lit up light it was Christmas and had her hooves and head resting on her belly.

The princess couldn’t help but smile; at least there was someone out there that didn’t pass judgment on her children, except maybe when trying to predict where they’d kick next.

Eventually though, the excitement died down, and the little filly finally drifted off to sleep, prompting her older brother to cart her back to her bedroom. Luna followed, though it took a bit of effort to get through the narrow doorframe, much to the displeasure of her two charges. With Applebloom tucked in, Luna stopped to admire the scene.

“I think you’re more ready for kids than you give yourself credit for, my love.”

Rather than give one of his two signature response, he simply opted to shrug, and nuzzle the mare of his dreams, and the swollen flank that held his children.