Quiet Sunsets 6 (AiE; Celestia)

>By the time the sun began to set, you were on the west balcony, waiting.
>Celestia removed the spell, and after some comical bickering with the guards, you were let go
>The rest of the day had been one errand after another to prepare yourself for the night ahead
>The most important of which was visiting Cross Stitch for some new clothing
>He had already known you were coming and provided some sketches, most of which were far too elaborate or frilly for your tastes
>You talked him down to a pair of black slacks and a white dress shirt, to his creative dismay
>They were much more comfortable than your uniform and even the simplest clothing looks great when its fitted
>Once you left the tailor, you had enough time to run home to wash up and grab some bits for the night
>Princess or not, you can't have her paying for stuff when you're outside the castle
>Tonight was your night to be a gentleman and show her a good time
>You begin to wonder where a good place to even take her would be
>It has to be something different, nothing cheesy like candlelights and the like
>Heck, you could do that in her dining hall for free and with much better food
>You're racking your brain with ideas when you catch a glimpse of the sky
>It's gorgeous to say the very least
>The sun's orange rays were dancing like a firestorm against the clear sky, with deep purples and blues overhead
>Clouds were positioned in such a way to reflect the sun's magnificence, scattered among Celestia's canvas
>With the final piece, the red crescent of the sun, peaking over the horizon
>Colors of passion and excitement perhaps?
>Or maybe just her way of saying she's happy
>It brought a smile to your face, knowing you could have that effect on her
>You stopped worrying about where to go for dinner, her display reminding you that it really didn't matter
>She only wanted to be with you and for you to keep talking to her when you could
>The details of where and why could be left for later
>Leaning back on the bench you were interrupted by a tug on your sleeve
>Storm Dancer again, with another 'message for you sir!'
"You've become Celestia's favorite deliveryman, you should see if that gets you a promotion."
>You chuckle and unclip the note from his helmet while he beams with pride, the joke completely lost on him
>It's another quick one, telling you to meet her in a storeroom down the west hallway
>No doubt so she can cast the spell on you both
>"Sir?  May I ask something?"
>You nod, slightly surprised Storm Dancer was doing or saying something he wasn't ordered to do
>"Well, bunch of us were talking and, we were wondering when you'd be back on duty?  Princess Celestia was never clear on that and we've been reluctant to ask Her Majesty about her business"
>That was a surprise, even if they had been nothing but supportive of you and Celestia's frequent visits, you didn't expect them to miss your company
>Then again, you've had a bad habit of selling that company short
>It was enough to woo a Princess after all
>Stands to reason the regular ponies would enjoy it as well
>He's right too, you have been skipping out on work
 >Even if Celestia was the one arbitrarily reassigning you
"I'll be back for the swing shift tomorrow, and maybe we'll grab a pint after work"
>The swing starts at around noon so even if Celestia keeps you out all night you'll somewhat rested up
>"I'll tell the dutymaster, thank you sir!  Barracks hasn't been the same without you"
>Storm Dancer smiles, salutes, then takes to the air
>That was a nice little surprise
>One of many for the night, you can only hope
>With that taken care of and your newest mission from your Princess, time to start the date
>You make your way to the room Celestia mentioned in her note, trying your best not to run into too many ponies on the way
>The guards merely saluted and smiled at you for the most part but the nobles, dear god the nobles...
>If one more of them brown-noses you about how 'delightfully simplistic!' your outfit was, you were going to lose it
>You can only hear 'simply marvelous!' and a slew of other compliments in a faux Victorian accent so many times in one day before you want to scream
>You manage to lose the small entourage you were accumulating in a dining hall
>If ponies love anything more than celebrities it was small cream puffs and chocolates
>The second the dessert platters came into view, a small herd of goofily dressed ponies disengaged from you and surrounded them
>You tried not to think about how they had the same compliments for the pastries as they did your outfit
>With them taken care of, you slip out through the kitchens and leg it to the storeroom
>You reach it quickly enough, and as you close the door behind you, a giggle and a high pitched voice startles you
>"Good evening, good sir, are you lost?"
>You spin around in a hurry and breathe a sigh of relief when you see who it is
>Celestia, or rather, a beige unicorn with blue hair smiles, her golden eyes shining in the low light of the store room
>Her hair was braided to the side, a bow the same golden color as her eyes tied in them
>Even if it was an illusion and even if Celestia was far more striking, you had to admit her disguise was a bit of a looker herself
>You grin and decide to play along with her for now
"Good evening...Miss...?"
>"May Flower.  It is a pleasure to meet you!"
"That's a cute name for a cute mare, do you work in the palace gardens?"
>She nervously laughs and blushes slightly, running her hoof on the ground and looking away
>Not bad, Princess, assuming she was even acting
>"Oh I could never work in the palace, far too fancy for a common unicorn such as myself!  I merely sell seasonal bouquets in the market to far more successful ponies than I.  It's not a glamorous job but it brings good feelings to all the ponies I meet and that alone is enough to...Anonymous!  What is the meaning of this?"
>She caught you holding back a laugh
>You shake your head, covering your face, no longer able to contain your amusement
>"I don't understand, my background is perfect for unicorn with a cutie mark like this!  I even thought of names for her parents and can trace her lineage back to the first ponies who settled Vanhoover, well over 600 years ago!"
"It's not the background, it's how you talk.  It's too...princess-y!  You're explaining things as if everyone will be listening to what you have to say"
>"Are you saying they will not be interested in my extended heritage?"
>You shake your head
>She pouted and kicked at the ground with her foreleg
>Holy hell she was adorable...
>"That is rather depressing..."
"You'll get used to it.  I don't know about you but I never thought I'd miss being boring and uninteresting."
>"You could never be that, Anonymous."
>She smiles and presses her hoof to your hand and brings it to her chest
>"Not to me"
>You fight back a blush as you give her chest fur a small scratch, feeling a little bad for teasing her a moment ago
>She touches her horn to your nose and your eyes meet
>No amount of magic or acting could hide Princess Celestia completely
>Nobody could ever make you feel this warm inside
>She lays her head on your chest for a moment and closes her eyes
>You give her mane a gentle stroke
>" I take it you do not know the story of how your pony's parent's met?"
"I know my name is Bulwark"
>"That is all?"
"That's all, I'll make up the rest as I go"
>She sighs and she tosses her mane as her horn begins to glow
>"Are you ready?"
>You nod and take a step back, preparing yourself
>Despite her disguise, her magic is still the light gold aura you've grown accustomed to these past few months
>She hits you square in the chest with a beam of light, and the world becomes a sea of colors and twinkling
>The processes is a lot quicker this time, a quick blast of magical energy and it's over, though the tingling feeling is still a little weird
>Once the lightshow and sparkly stuff clear, Celestia is standing before you, indicating the spell worked
>She's free of her regalia, and her hair is braided like her disguise, the golden ribbon right under her left ear
>She looks absolutely radiant and somehow the lack of her usual ornaments makes her seem prettier to boot
>You both smile upon seeing each other again, you taking a second to adjust your shirt
>"You are quite handsome....err,  Bulwark"
>You can tell already she isn't incredibly happy with your name but hey, you're not perfect
>That's why she likes you, right?
"You look pretty yourself, Mayflower."
>The two of you embrace, her wings giving you a full body squeeze
>You notice a tiny flush of red on her cheeks but decide to pretend not to notice
>You really want to finish the kiss you almost had this afternoon but not in a pantry that smelt like bread and tomatoes
>They'll be time for that later
>You give her neck a loving pet before she releases you, her expression bright with excitement
"After you"
>You stand aside as you open the door to the storeroom, allowing her to pass
>"Thank you, you're quite the gentlecolt"
>She takes a step forward, then stops
>"Is there anything I should know?  Rules or conduct I may not be aware of?"
>You shrug and give her a little push forward
>Hands dangerously close to her...cutie mark
>Gonna have to watch that...
"Relax and be yourself, no need to overthink things.  We're going to have a great time tonight!"
>That reassured her and she smiled and left the storeroom, you joining her in the hallway
>"Let us depart the castle, Luna's night should be starting and I'd like to take a moment to enjoy it"
>You nod with enthusiasm and the two of you begin your first journey together
>Not as Princess and Outsider
>Just a normal pony couple, out for a night together
>Like any journey though, this one didn't have its share of problems at the beginning
>As it turns out, you may have considered what she asked more concisely before chalking it up to nerves
>Princess Celestia had more than one habit neither of you realized would be problematic for a common pony to do
>For instance, out of routine, she'd walk in the center of a hallway
>It made sense for a princess with guards and an entourage, but causes all sorts of trouble when groups of ponies came from the opposite direction and she didn't think to give way
>To add insult to injury, in many cases, the other ponies were quite rude about getting her to stand aside
>That was the most unnerving part for her far as you could tell, how quickly the nobility asserted itself when faced with what they thought was a common mare
>To her credit, she didn't lash out in any way and handled every sour encounter with the patience you'd expect from someone her age and status
>But by the time you reached the outer gates, her smile was gone, and her head hung a little lower
>As you left the inner gate and began the trek to the exit, she didn't even look to the sky to view the night
>"Anon, wait."
>She stops you at the edge of the palace walls, in the gardens before the main gate
>She kicks at the ground, her nervousness getting the better of her, and turns back to the castle
>You've heard stories, some from Celestia herself, of her sneaking away from the palace to have unscheduled 'days off'
>However, it was stealthy and in secret, never out in the open and never not as herself
>Crazy how even the mightiest of us have safety blankets, so to speak
>" I'm beginning to have doubts about this excursion.  Why don't we return to the castle and have dinner?  We can discuss a more thought out--"
>You shake your head
>If there was anything that created doubt in your mind about you and her, it was the lack of spontaneity
>You're not a fool, she was a Princess of an entire country and it would be difficult to pull her away from those duties whenever you wished
>But there had to be times when you and her could slip out unnoticed and have a dinner or do something foolish together
>You had to get her comfortable with this
>Straightening your back and standing with the confidence the royal guard training instilled in you, you strolled to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder
>She lifts her head to look you in the eyes and you give her a reassuring smile
"How about this, we'll take a walk together.  Outside the gates for ten minutes.  If you still feel uncomfortable after that, we'll go back and maybe get the guards to arrest one of those snooty unicorns."
>She giggles and nods in agreement
>" Ten minutes?"
"Ten minutes."
>This was one of those times you wished ponies had hands so you could hold hers and give it a squeeze
>You settle for petting her neck, not unlike you would a real horse if it was uneasy
>She shows her appreciation with a nicker and gives your chest a friendly nuzzle in return
"Your sister outdid herself,  you should take a look"
>She beamed and looked to the sky, her expression quickly returning to the one you knew and loved
>"I told my sister to make tonight special for us.  She was slightly irritated but I am pleased she obliged us"
>As she looked at the sky, you led her through the front gate
>Her hoofsteps became slightly less pronounced as the polished stone of the walkway became a more worn gravel
>You and her chatted about constellations for the time being as you put more and more distance between the palace and yourselves
>The goal was to the Marché de L'eau further from the main gate
>Celestia came to a halt and looked around
>Her hoof brushed the gravel and cobblestone below
>"I remember when this was a moat."
"Oh?"
>"Yes.  It was quite a long time ago..."
>She trotted to one of the stands and observed the rows of pastries and treats on display while she told her story
>The path you're on used to be a moat back in the older days of Canterlot
>When it became unnecessary, they filled it in and created a sort of walkway
>More time passed and the path became lit, then the merchants came in droves
 >Even at night, you could get some of the freshest produce and baked goods any pony could ever want
>It was considered the fanciest outdoor market in the capital, and the merchants had to live up to the status
>Despite it being there for hundreds of years, not once has Celestia ever just strode along it
>Anytime she tried to, the guards would shoo everypony away and she'd be stuck walking from tent to tent by herself
>"It loses the atmosphere when they do that.  I wanted to mingle more and..."
>The merchant pony cleared his throat and frowned
>Celestia had half a pastry in her mouth
>You chuckle nervously and deposit a bit on the counter
>She giggles
>"...enjoy the more colorful parts of window shopping"
"So, feeling more comfortable, I take it?"
>"It is still a bit strange but a sweet treat can settle even the most unsettling of feelings"
>You watch her eyes go from yours to a piece of pound cake at the next stand
>She does a half shrug and nods to you questioningly
>With a look of playful annoyance you hand the bits to the next merchant and she helps herself
>"Let's keep walking?  I want to see all the stands!"
>You didn't have to be asked twice
>Seeing her smile with her eyes closed and pound cake crumbs around her lips was beyond adorable
>You let her take the lead, Celestia tossing the paper plate away as you went from tent to tent
>Some tents had fruits and vegetables, others had fancy hats and other accessories
>And occasionally there was a musician or florist
>Needless to say ten minutes came and went in a flash, not that either of you noticed or cared
>Celestia was much more relaxed, even striking up a conversation with a few of the more friendly merchants
>You kept in the background, letting her enjoy herself and become accustomed to common life
>She took to it much quicker than in the castle, likely without the rude nobles and more open space
>Or maybe it was the abundance of sweets and cakes for her to try
>Either way, by the time you both reached the end of the market, you were laughing and chatting as if the earlier unpleasantness never happened
>Celestia had bought herself one of those wide brimmed derby hats with a sunflower tied in a ribbon on it
>It didn't make much sense at nighttime but she looked cute in it so you didn't stop her
>You could tell she liked it, she even made sure it looked ok on her doppelganger when she tried it on
>Even earned her a few compliments too
>"Looks like we reached the end of the Marché de L'eau, Anon."
>She was very cheery, lifting one hoof off the ground and looking around like this was her first day out of the castle in years
>In some sense it was
"I hope you're still hungry, May."
>She nods and a bell tower began to chime
>It had been over an hour since you left
>"I believe I could find room, as you would say"
>She smirked and winked
>You chuckled and stuck your hands in your pockets
"I know a place you might like.  It's late though, they might have a bit of a wait.  Will that be a problem?"
>"Only if we have nothing to talk about in the meantime"
"I wouldn't worry about that"
>"I never do"
>You take over leading through the city, travelling past the fancier areas surrounding the palace and into the restaurant and theater districts
>Celestia was more chatty than yourself, commenting on what used to be in a lot of the places you walked by
>Every building had a story to it and you were shocked how much detail Celestia remembered
>It also bought you some time to figure out where to eat
>You weren't about to take Celestia to a dirty spoon but you were still deadset on something different enough from fine dining and sit down stuff
>Where you ended up surprised even her
>"Hibachi?  Anon, I have to say you've managed to find an establishment I have not frequented.  Is it any good?"
"No idea.  Never been.  I'm still kinda curious how it'll even work with just vegetables"
>You open the door for her and the roar of a lively restaurant greets you both
>She takes a step back and looks at you with a confused 'are you sure?' kind of expression
>You nod toward the doorway, urging her along
>The place is pretty crowded but most of the ponies are seated watching their meal being cooked
>You put your name down and lead her to the bar for a glass of wine
>"Anon this place is..."
>She trails off as one of the unicorn chefs makes a blast of fire leap off the grill and tosses a few vegetables
>The ponies around him clop their hooves together and cheer
>"...different!"
"That was the plan, we have about a half hour to kill before they'll have a table.  You like red or white?"
>"White, please"
>With all the pastries she eats that should have been a no brainer
>Luna was the one who drinks Merlot into the middle of the night and makes a mess, if you recall a few weeks ago
>You order some glasses and just as they're being brought to you another couple sits down
>The earth pony mare wasted no time chatting up Celestia, commenting on how nice her hat was
>That's all it took for them to hit it off, Celestia even getting to use her complicated and rich backstory for May Flower
>While you and the mare's pegasus date sat quietly and sipped wine together
>You learned his name was Lightning Charger and that he worked for the local weather brigade
>You told him Bulwark was a prospective Royal Guard cadet and was joining the academy in the fall
>Before you know it you're making up information as best you can
>Celestia totally heard you stumbling through it and she gives you a smirk
>Right before she asks Honeydew, her new friend, if she had any family back in Vanhoover
>Ok, you win, Celestia
>You'll blame it on human culture later when the inevitable 'told you so' happens
>A few stories and glasses of wine later, you all end up at the same table
>Celestia wasn't familiar with how Hibachi worked,so this was entertaining to say the least
>Especially this place, no menus, the guy cooked and you ate
>But holy hell did you eat
>Every kind of vegetable known to pony was grilled and literally tossed at your plates while the unicorn kept an incredible fire going
>You've been to these places back on Earth but when magic got involved suddenly those bursts of flames became pillars and the vegetables didn't fall back down when they were tossed
>Every piece of your dinner had its own unique little show and even Celestia was clopping her hooves together excited for the next portion
>Impressing the sun princess with fire and food wasn't exactly easy so you gave yourself a few pats on the back for the pick
>The only mishap was when a bell pepper ended up on her new hat
>But that was part of the fun, right?
>She was only a little upset but you stabbing the pepper with a fork and biting right into it cheered her right back up
>Leave it to the Princess who has everything to worry about a $10 hat
>Speaking of worrying about money, between the dinner and the wine you were completely broke by the time you and her left the restaurant
>Forget the guards missing you, if you didn't get back to work soon this would be the only date you'd ever go on
>"That was so much fun, Anon!"
>She practically skipped out of the place, you struggling to follow with a full stomach and a slight buzz
>Watching her prance along made every spent bit worth it
>She turned around and pulled you along with her magic
>"Come on, Bulwark, keep up!"
>Steeling yourself, you put a little more strength behind your steps and catch up to her and are greeted with a happy nuzzle to your cheek
>"I told you a backstory was a good idea!  Wasn't Honeydew nice?"
"She was.  Sorry I doubted you.  It must be a human culture thing"
>Celestia stuck her tongue at you in reply and you mock motion to grab it
>She giggles and moves away
>"Anything else planned for our little evening together?"
"One more thing, actually"
>"Oh?"
"I'd like to walk you home but, not through the main gate"
>She smiles and you lead her off the main road toward the side entrance of Canterlot Palace
>You chose the route through Whinnybrooke Park back to the palace gates, making a point to walk along the central lakefront
>The moonlight was dancing along the ripples of water, the trees silently sawing in the spring breeze
>Flowers of all kinds lined the edge of the lakefront and fireflies and crickets flew and chirped about
>It only served to enhance Celestia's elegance as she trotted alongside you
>She had undone her braid, leaving her mane to flow freely with the night air
>Her hooves made gentle clops on the wet stone of the park's path, her mane blowing in waves along her body
>You couldn't help but remember your dream from the night before and blush
>Tonight had been perfect
>Even when things went wrong they were good mistakes, the kind that brought you two closer together as you worked past them
>She's everything you ever wanted in a woman, not a single doubt in your mind was left
>It didn't matter if you needed magic spells or flat out lies to be together when you wanted to, it would be worth it for her
>All while your mind raced through this, your heart was pounding and your brow beginning to sweat
>She was looking at the lake now, dipping her forehoof into the water
>You had to take a moment to compose yourself, she couldn't see--
>"What is the matter, Anonymous?  You turned away"
>Damn
"I...well...you...?"
>"Yes?"
>She cantered a little closer and nosed at your face, the moonlight shimmering in her eyes
>Her mane managed to drift from her body and synced with the ripples of the lake
>Canterlot Castle was illuminated behind her, a work of art more than architecture, almost as a reminder of her intelligence to compliment her exquisiteness
>You were looking upon perfection
>What could you possibly say right now?
"You're beautiful"
>Nothing wrong with the obvious
>"Am I?  You truly believe so?"
>You didn't say another word, there was no point in convincing a goddess that she was gorgeous
>You had to show her what you felt, not tell...
>Your hand slipped along her neck to her cheek
>The warmth of her body sent a shiver along your fingers and her breath teased at your chest as you lifted her mouth to yours
>Your eyes locked with hers and you felt her muscles tense
>Her pulse raced under the palm of your hand, matched only by your own heartbeat
>Her body was pleading for this, begging for it
>You were not one to deny your Princess
>The second your lips pressed to hers, whatever sliver of restraint she kept around herself fell away
>Her body nearly knocked you over as she pressed closer, her soft, supple lips pressing around your mouth
>Your eyes closed with hers as one kiss became two, then three, then her lips began to part between yours
>Her tongue teased at your mouth, a taste of honey and sugar beckoning you to go past simple kissing
>A blast of heat from her nostrils greeted your neck when you cupped your other hand on her cheek, your own tongue sliding gently into her mouth
>The tiniest of moans slipped from her as your thinner tongue massaged and teased hers, a pleasant hear beginning to radiate from her body
>Your hands slipped from her face, caressing her neck and shoulders as your knees buckled slightly
>Her wings mimic the motions of your hands and fingers, wrapping your body up in a feathery embrace, teasing at the back of your neck and back
>You feel yourself tense from her touches and respond in turn, slipping your fingers into her mane and caressing the back of her neck and shoulders
>What felt like an eternity had passed when you two finally parted lips, both breathing heavily and glistening with sweat
>Her cheeks were flushed red, her eyes half open and full of desire
>"We...should...make haste back to my castle...I fear I may not be able to resist the desire to claim you in a public place for much longer"
>If there was ever a more proper way to say 'get me home before I jump you in the park' you haven't heard it yet
"I'll take you to the east gate, it's the closest"
>She nodded and bit her lip
>Neither of you budged, neither of you wanted to stop looking into the others eyes for a moment
>Your hands gripped her whithers and she gasped from the touch
>You were having serious doubts you would make it back to the castle now
"We're disguised...nobody would know if we..."
>"I know but...I don't want anyone to--"
>There was a rustling from behind you
>You craned your neck over her wings and...
>Honeydew...?
>"There they are, slippery pair of lovebirds, ain't ya?  I was looking for you after dinner and you had wandered off!"
>That was not what you were expecting to hear...
>"Honeydew?  What brings you here?"
>Celestia slid her wings from your body and stood at your side
>You tensed, and not because this mare may have interrupted what was turning into a very intimate moment
>Something felt wrong
>"I was just checking up on my new friend and her date, that's all.   You're quite the pair, aren't you?"
>Celestia cocked her head to the side and kicked one of her legs slightly on the ground
>Out of the corner of your eye you see Lightning Charger
>Along with a few other ponies
>In fact, you counted four, then five more coming from the other side
>Your heart was pounding for an entirely different reason now
>This was an ambush
"Time to go.  Now".
>Celestia shook her head
>Instead she stared directly at Honeydew
>"What do you want with us?"
>Honeydew snickered and waved her hoof in the air
>More mares and colts emerged
>You were outnumbered, sure, but they thought they cornered two unicorns
>Perhaps Celestia realized this too and wanted to end a threat to her ponies herself, now?
>It was worth her cover being blown, you wager
>"I want your love for him.  Just as I want Bulwark's love for you.  You two were like a blinding light in a dark sky, it's your own fault we found you"
>The other ponies all chuckled sinisterly
>Celestia whispered to you as they encircled you
>"No matter what they do, do not fight back unless I tell you to.   And under no circumstances reveal who you really are"
>You looked to her, perplexed
>Her stern expression caught any further protest in your throat
>This wasn't your date anymore or the sweet mare you were moments from making love to
>This was your Princess giving you a direct order and while you disagreed, you were going to follow
>"They'll do nicely, put them under!"
>Celestia's horn began to glow
>Your world spun and you sunk to the ground, your energy leaving your body in an instant
>You fought it though, fought the powers pulling consciousness away from you, invisible chains on every atom of your body
>To your credit, you kept your eyes open for another few seconds
>Just long enough to see green beams of energy slam Celestia to the ground and for Honeydew to turn into some sort of insect
>You tried to call out to her but your voice was gone, your vision turning to dark splotches of grey and black
>With whatever energy you could muster, you reached for where you thought Celestia had landed
>Instead you felt the hard, slimy surface of whatever Honeydew had turned into
>But you swore, right before you fell into a dreamless sleep
>You heard the faint sound of Celestia whispering she was sorry