Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Celestia softly sighed as she looked down at the pile of papers in front of her, feeling as though these had been her main focus for most of the day. Treaties, laws, visiting diplomats, quarrels amongst the minor nobility once again... it was something she had grown used to in her long life, but it now seemed to annoy her without end. Then again, after what she'd been through, it was a small reprieve to just be able to sit here, in relative peace and quiet.

Well, not always. Sometimes her new roommate would get a bit loud, especially when they were hungry, though when it happened, she soothed them over fairly quickly.

It was so hard to believe that eleven months had gone by so fast, even by the fact that she's personally seen millennia come and go like mere days. But she could still remember the first month, and fondly at that, but the rest seemed to blur together for her, never being quite distinct enough to warrant more than a snippet of her memory...

"Pregnant?" Spike repeated as he lay by Celestia's side. "How... how can we be so sure, so soon? It's only been like, what, a few weeks?"

"Spike, I told the doctor my symptoms, and he said that I was, indeed, pregnant," Celestia said softly, looking down at her belly almost as if expecting it to grow before her very eyes. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

"I'm not sure, I always had a feeling that, you know, us... doing it would have some repercussion," Spike said. "We didn't use any, you know... protection."

"Spike, you and I both know that any sort of "protection" would never have been able to stand up to what we would have been putting it through," the princess said. "All we can do now is accept the consequences of our actions and... let nature take its course."

"But, how are we going to do that? I mean, it's one thing that I'm the Royal Aegis and High Prefect and all, but... this? I didn't think this was in the job description."

"What wasn't? Fatherhood?" The princess asked, feeling a sudden heaviness in her heart. Was he having second thoughts? Was he... was he thinking of leaving?

"I... I just don't know if I'm ready," the dragon mumbled. "I'm just... just worried."

"About what? The pregnancy?" She asked. "Spike, I'm sure I'll be fine. I'll likely have doctors on standby through every second of it."

"No, no. I know you'll be fine. I'm just... I'm scared about the baby and me. What if... what if I'm not cut out to be a dad? What if I'm a terrible father? What if the baby hates me?"

Celestia was shocked: Spike seemed so scared, at a so close, and yet distant future, that... almost scared her, too. "Spike?" She asked, pulling him close, kissing him on his trembling forehead. "Why are you so scared? Don't you want to be a father?"

He shivered beneath her touch. "Yes, yes, of course! I've always wanted to be a dad, but... I have nothing to draw off of."

"What do you mean?" The alicorn asked.

"I... I didn't have a father," Spike said. "At least, not like everypony else. He wasn't there when I hatched; I'm not even sure if he's still alive, somewhere. I didn't have a father to teach me what it means to be, well... a dragon. I didn't have a father to be there for me, to teach me to be a drake. I had Twilight, and her family, but... they weren't my family-family, you know? I love them all, I really do, but... I just didn't have what they had, and I feel so bad for thinking that. They gave me nothing but love and support, and yet... they were never up to the task of teaching me to be a dragon. All of that, all of it, I had to learn on my own, and I just know I'm missing out on a lot of stuff. I-,"

Celestia silenced his stammering with a soft kiss. "Spike, you truly are the noblest of any dragon that I have ever met," she said softly. "You were willing to potentially sacrifice yourself for your friends and for the world; you almost did. You were willing to make me the happiest mare in the world, not as a duty for your princess, but as a duty to a friend. You have given me more than what I thought I would ever have, and because of that, I have become more than what I thought I could be. Yet here you are, worrying about things that seem major, but yet... to us, to the two of us, they are but little things. You have concerns, questions, fears; we all do, Spike, especially me."

"Really?" Spike asked, kissing her back for a few seconds.

"Yes, my love," she said softly. "Times are different; you are going to be a father, a father of a dragon-alicorn foal. It will not be an easy road, I imagine, but I will be there with you every step of the way."

"Thanks, Celestia," the dragon mumbled, nestling his body against hers. "I... I love you too."

The next most prominent memory was several weeks later, in the throne room...

The alicorn princess steadied herself. Now was as good a time as ever to tell them, but... it felt so wrong to have waited this long to actually let them know. The press, she could handle; nobles and politicians she could deal with in stride. However, to those closest to her, the next few minutes would be a... challenging time for her. A whole month into her pregnancy, and Twilight Sparkle, the other Elements of Harmony, even her own sister, Luna, did not know. Princess Candace didn't know either, but she wasn't here; Celestia would have to send her a letter soon after.

Problem was... Spike wasn't in the castle. She sent him off to a distant corner of Equestria, by way of express air mail, to protect him. Not from Luna's wrath, which potentially could be substantial, but from her student, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight would not understand what was going on, and would demand answers from Spike like there was no tomorrow. She would pester, berate, interrogate, and perhaps drive him mad, driving a wedge into their relationship, all because she couldn't handle what was being told to her. Celestia didn't want to put Spike through that any more than she wanted Twilight to go through it. He'd likely catch enough flak as it was from the general public who didn't like the fact he was her consort; such was the secondary cause for him being far away from Canterlot.

"You may let them in," she said to the aide that was patiently waiting by her side, who, with a bow, walked off and returned with all six Elements of Harmony, as well as Princess Luna.

"Yer Highness?" Applejack asked, removing her hat as the rest of them, save for Luna, politely bowed.

"Yes, Applejack?" The princess replied.

"Ah'm not sure why this here meetin' was called, and was wonderin' if y'all could explain things a bit more... slowly. Last time we were at a meetin' like this, Twilight darn near broke from the shock of it all, and-,"

"Applejack, I did not "break", as you say," the unicorn interjected. "I was merely shocked at what had happened, and-,"

"Couldn't stop sayin' "what" fer another few hours?" The earth pony said, a raised eyebrow expressing her disbelief.

"Yes, well, no, but I, but she... shut up," Twilight mumbled, a blush forming across her cheeks.

"Before this topic derails further than it has already, sister, why did you wish to see us?" Luna asked, glancing at the clock. "Our daily sponge bath is soon, and we do not wish to dawdle."

"Sponge bath? Since when did you take sponge baths?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ever since me and her had that super big sleepover!" Pinkie Pie said with a lighthearted giggle. Then again, most of her giggles were lighthearted. "Only thing better than a sponge bath is a bubble bath!"

Celestia couldn't hold it in any more. "I'm pregnant."

Seven pairs of eyes locked on the white alicorn princess, mirroring similar and yet different emotions.

Fluttershy was shocked but ready to squeal with joy.

Pinkie Pie was smiling so hard she might have pulled a few muscles in her face.

Rainbow Dash dropped to the ground, too shocked to fly.

Applejack was shocked, but also confused, seeing as she always removed her hat whenever things became a bit too convoluted for her brain to handle.

Princess Luna was somewhere between shocked, confused, and outright outraged.

Rarity was close to fainting.

While Twilight Sparkle face planted in front of them all in shock.

"Ah think y'all done broke Twilight fer good this time, yer Highness," Applejack said as she slowly lifted the purple unicorn back to a standing position.

"I sincerely hope not," Celestia said.

"You're... you're pregnant? For real?" Rainbow Dash asked, somehow managing to pick her lower jaw off the floor enough to speak.

"Yes," the alicorn replied. "A month along, in fact."

"Why did you wait so long to tell us?" It was not Twilight who asked this, but Luna.

"I was unsure of how you would react, and I needed you all to be present at the same time," Celestia said simply. "I also needed to make arrangements so that Spike would be in a safe place after the announcement."

"A safe place? Why'd he need somethin' like that?" Applejack asked.

"I can name a few things," the princess of the sun said, her gaze lingering over Twilight and Luna. "However, seeing as my precautions weren't fully needed, my biggest concern is still the reaction of the public: particularly the ones that won't enjoy hearing that he's my consort. Seeing that news like this shall surely ruffle more than a few feathers."

"More like the whole kingdom would go crazy," Rarity said softly.

"No more crazy than when mother and father visit to see their first grandfoal," Luna said.

Luna hadn't been lying when she said that; indeed, if her parent's response letter had indicated as much, they were already heading for Earth as fast as they could. The fact that they missed the big day, due to some large anomalous planetoid threatening to destroy a good portion of Saturn's rings, clearly upsetting them, but in her heart, Celestia felt no ill will towards them for it. In fact, she was glad they hadn't been there, seeing how stressful the birth was for her and the nation, already; it would've been near-chaos if her parents had shown up as well. The populace could only take so much news at one time.

That was why she told the Elements of Harmony about her pregnancy before anypony else: her doctor had been sworn to secrecy, as well as all of her servants; be they butlers, cooks, maids or guards. She had revealed the news to the public close to five days after she had told Twilight Sparkle and the others in private.

It was a simpler thing to tell the public than it was to deal with the fallout, afterwards. The "anti-Spike" faction exploded, both in numbers and in volume of discontent. Many, for some reason, called for his banishment, which, as Celestia pointed out, made no sense. Some called for him to be tried for rape or rape through coercion, something her sister, Luna, had nearly blown a gasket over, much to Celestia's surprise. If it wasn't for the elder alicorn's more suave diplomatic skills, the princess of the night might've instigated mass-lawsuits against all the naysayers. Then, almost as soon as the "anti-Spike" faction had grown, it imploded; its members divided over how to react to the news that Princess Celestia was pregnant.

It was quite humorous, actually, to see them grow so large so fast, only to fall completely apart as their blood cooled and they began to realize there was going to be an heir to the throne. Some, of course, were likely trying to curry favor with the princesses so that they wouldn't be forbidden from attending the naming ceremony. Others, perhaps, realized that if Celestia was happy with Spike, then maybe they should be happy for her as well, regardless of how they felt on the situation.

In either case, it was still a few weeks before Celestia sent for Spike to return from his hiding place in a far corner of Equestria. The fact that the guards she sent with him also kept his location hidden was, to her, a breath of fresh air, as there had been a short-lived media frenzy offering huge sums of money to find out where he was.

By the end of the second month of the pregnancy, she could feel her body changing far more than she would have liked. Her royal rump had begun to swell past its previous dimensions, along with her hips, breasts and belly. The love/hate relationship she'd had with her changing body had amused Spike to no end. She'd complain that she was getting fat, to which Spike responded that there was simply more of her to love. She'd then go off on a tangent every few days about how she'd never regain her royal figure, which Spike replied with the fact that he'd love her no matter what, and that while her stomach would go back down, the rest of her body would still be all the more sexy for it.

She could still remember the bedroom conversation near the middle of the third month, after Spike had informed her that Prince Blueblood had come to see him in private.

"So, what did he want?" She asked as he massaged her lower back.

"He wanted us to talk about you," the dragon replied. "He wanted to know how you were doing, and if I was doing all I could to help you along."

"Help me along?"

"Well, he told me that pregnant mares love being held, massaged, hugged, and kisses, you know, stuff like that. Don't buy them gifts unless they actually mean something; useless trinkets just seem to be more stressful than relaxing, especially if money is tight."

"How would he know any of that?"

"He said that he remembers the guards, during his younger years, being like that with their wives whenever he stopped by their homes. He stressed the importance of massages, though."

"Did he now? I would never have guessed him as the sort to know these things."

"Well, I wouldn't have either, but he did tell me that it helps with the pregnancy. He also stressed that mares are less likely to experience mood swings if they are comfortable and less stressed out."

"I see... So, Spike, in your opinion, have I been... moody?"

"...I would prefer to not answer that."

"What? Why not?"

"I'm not sure what qualifies as "moody" for you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you yelled at some of the maids the other day to the point where one of them cried."

"They were looking at you, and I apologized, didn't I?"

"Tia, everypony looks at me when I walk in the room; the armor you had made for me kinda makes me stick out."

"They were looking at areas I didn't want them looking."

"But you were the one who said that I'd help Luna with her estrus. Then you go and yell at mares for staring at me?"

"That was different. I wanted you to myself for now, or for as long as I can have you."

"Celestia, we'll have each other for thousands of years. I'm not sure we can have each other more than that."

"Oh? That is where you are wrong, mister dragon. I've seen the way you stare at my big, firm butt. You want it, don't you?"

"Um... I'm not really sure I like where this is going..."

"Stick it in."

"But I don't wanna..."

"Do it."

"No. I still don't get why you want me to. It seems... weird, okay? That, and I don't want to risk hurting the foal."

"Because we haven't had sex for almost two months, and it won't hurt the foal, I promise."

"Celestia, after the foal is born, we'll be able to have worry-free sex for a thousand years before your next cycle. Think of that."

"Fine, fine, I think it can wait eight more months. But as soon as the foal comes, you better be ready as well."

"See what I said about being moody? You've gone from protective to pouty, to overly sexual in less time than it takes for me to write a letter."

"I love you too, dear. Oh, yes, keep rubbing there, my back is still killing me..."

Well, she had waited eight months alright, nine in fact, and rising from her desk, Celestia slowly walked over to the far side of her room, where a small crib lay a short distance from her bed.

"How is she?" She asked softly, sitting down next to a softly cooing dragon.

"Sleeping like an angel," Spike replied as he softly cradled the little bundle in his arms. "Then again, when isn't she?"

"When it's three in the morning," Celestia said with a soft chuckle, her finger gently grazing the sleeping foal's forehead, the flowing little pink mane curling slightly around her finger. A pelt as white as her mother's, but with eyes that, when they weren't closed in sleep, harbored the same green flame as her father's. Little white wings, tinged with an inner purple hue, sprouted from her back, and her little horn jutted from her forehead, the soft spiral an alternating white and lavender tone. She had no claws or fangs, but her scaly tail was more like that of her father, save for the absence of spines. Those same scales covered her hands and hooves as well, the soft little bumps feeling like silk under her parent's touch. The little filly's mane sparkled in the sunshine as if woven from the dew of morning, the light shade of pink much like Celestia's own at that young age.

"You like the name we gave her?" Spike asked.

"I love it. I'm surprised I liked your choice better than my own, seeing that we've been giving thought to it since day one."

"Well, we agreed that if it was a colt, we'd use the name you chose: Solaire, and if it was a filly, we'd use mine: Zenitha."

"Both are fine names, but I think Zenitha fits her personality far better," Celestia said softly, watching as the little filly snuggled into her father's arms, her expression peaceful as she slept. "She is the summit of our journey to save the world; the culmination of all we went through, and what we discovered there together."

"Is that why she's so beautiful?" The dragon asked, gently kissing his daughter on the forehead.

"Maybe," the alicorn whispered. "Then again, having parents like us surely helps."

"I love her, regardless of how she looks."

"Me too."

The pair of them sat in silence, simply content with watching their daughter sleep in her father's arms. In the eleven months since little Zenitha's conception, much to Celestia's surprise, Spike had filled out considerably. Before, he had been in shape, yes, but rather skinny, or at least, compared to what he was now; he must've been training under all of that armor she'd given him. He wasn't some hulking brute of a dragon, but more of a leonine one: with muscles everywhere, but not overly so. Still, his increased physical prowess and overall morphological change mattered little to her when she saw the way he held their daughter in his arms. It was as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

And to each of them, she was.

"Have you thought about a middle name?" Spike asked.

"Honestly, I haven't very much, but I have given thought to her godparents," Celestia replied. Hard to believe their daughter was already a month old and they still hadn't decided on this matter yet.

"We agreed that Prince Blueblood would not be her godfather," Spike said.

"And we both know that choosing Luna to be her godmother would be particularly problematic, especially when her "time" comes around," the alicorn replied, remembering back to the promise she had made to her sister. "Then, who should we choose?"

"I'm not sure," the purple dragon replied, slowly lowering the foal into her cradle as he did. "How about Twilight?"

"Well, I was thinking that, but what about Shining Armor's foals? Isn't Twilight already a godmother to one of them?"

"Wait, yeah, she is. How could I have forgotten? Well, she's out, but then who's left to pick?"

"We'd have to come up with some sort of list," Celestia replied. "Maybe we should worry about that a little bit later; after my parents leave."

"Speaking of that, when are they going to get here?" Spike asked.

"Within a few days, I should assume. You'll know when they do."

"I will?"

"Well, it's not every day that the Aurora Borealis moves this far south, coinciding with what looks to be two shooting stars arcing towards the castle."

"Oh. So... we'll definitely know when they get here?"

"Most definitely."

"Anyways, about her middle name..."

"Yes, Spike?"

"Well, I was thinking about it... something about alicorn names being kind of centered around space, right? The cosmos and all that?"

"Why, yes; it's a very ancient tradition amongst our kind."

"Well, I was thinking... Andromeda."

"What?"

"Andromeda. You know, one of those galaxies you showed me."

Celestia was stunned. Here she thought Spike would want their daughter's middle name to be something reflecting her draconic heritage, like Sapphire or Ruby or Amethyst, but here he was, looking to the stars for an answer.

She smiled. "I think it's a lovely name. Now, she has her own personal spot in the night sky to call her own."

"I wasn't thinking about it like that, but you make it sound even better, now," he said with a smile.

"So, Andromeda it is, then."

There was a soft knock at the door, catching both of their attentions as Princess Luna entered, subdued and appearing rather plain in her court gown. "Is... is she asleep?" The princess whispered.

"Yes, she is," Celestia replied. "Come, sit; Spike and I have somewhere to be soon, and I would appreciate it if you could watch over her dreams for us, if only for a little while."

"I would be honored," Luna said as she sat down on the bed. "She has only known me from but fleeting glimpses whenever she isn't being fed or changed."

"Then make the most of your time," Spike said with a smile, knowing full well that Luna had long forgiven him for all the stress he and Celestia had put her, and basically the entire kingdom, through. The very last vestiges of which had been erased when little Zenitha had opened her eyes after a nap, gently grabbing onto one of Luna's outstretched fingers, as if saying hello.

"If you have any questions or concerns, just ask for the guards and maids outside," Celestia said as she gently led Spike away. Luna nodded silently, her gaze drifting back to the little, peacefully sleeping, filly in the cradle before her.

"Hey there, Zenitha. It's me, your auntie Luna," she softly cooed as the filly's parents silently left the room.

"I still think she'd make a great godmother," Spike said as they walked down the corridors, their informal robes swirling softly around them.

"Yes, but the last thing we need is for her to walk in on the two of you and wind up asking me "mommy, why are daddy and auntie Luna wrestling?" And have me try to explain to her about the birds and the bees."

Spike blushed slightly at her remark about "wrestling", but hey, if it were to happen, it would; not that he'd ever want it to happen, of course. "Wow, we really are parents."

"Already planning our daughter's future," the alicorn replied with a soft laugh, turning a corner as the two of them found themselves at a door to a place Spike had not seen in some time.

"The old library? What are we doing here?" He asked as she led him through the doors.

"To have some privacy," Celestia replied, a smirk growing on her lips as she carefully shut the door behind them.

"Why would we need privacy?"

"Because a promise is a promise," the princess said as she slowly reached up and began removing the clasps holding her robe together. "I've waited over eight months, Spike; nine, to be exact. And I'm holding you to the promise you made as you massaged my back, telling me all about how I was being moody that week."

Spike's eyes bulged slightly, as the realization of what she was alluding to hit him like a ton of bricks. "You... you want to do that? Here? Now?"

"I think it's as good a time as any," the princess replied simply, letting the robe fall away from her body as her magic started loosening Spike's as well. "We're all alone, Zenitha is being looked after, I locked the door, nopony comes here this time of day, and my parents aren't due to arrive for days. So, mister dragon, I expect you to perform... admirably."

He gulped.

Meanwhile...

"Princess Luna?" A voice said.

"Yes, come in," the princess called softly, withdrawing from her little niece's dreams. At her age, they weren't all that coherent, but there was comfort, warmth, a sense of belonging; the simple things babies thought about.

"I was told to come to you immediately when the signs appeared," the voice said, the owner stepping into the room as softly as he could, showing himself to be one of the butlers; an elderly stallion by the name of Walter.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Well, my lady, it appeared in the sky five minutes ago."

"What?"

"I said, it appeared—,"

"No, I heard you the first time. The signs... my parents are here!"

As silently as a breeze and as swiftly as a hawk, the princess strode out of the room and turned to the waiting maids and guards. "Watch over Zenitha as if your very life depends on it," she said before quickly departing. The group quietly walked into the room and shut the door behind them, waiting to be relieved when the princesses returned.

As she entered her room and magically began summoning clothes to herself, Luna's mind raced with the possibilities. Her mother and father were here already?! They were not just early, they were downright ready to knock on the door to the castle! "How did they get here so far ahead of schedule?" She whispered, throwing off her casual gown and dressing herself in something more befitting an event such as this. "Is Celestia waiting for them at the door?"

Meanwhile...

"Mmm, yes, Spike; massage my breasts," Celestia moaned as her naked lover lay atop her, his hands gently kneading her enormous fleshy globes. "Suck on my nipples."

"They're so big and puffy," Spike whispered back as he did so, surprised to find milk enter his mouth as he sucked. "You taste so sweet, my sweet."

"Yes, drink, drink me until you're full, my stud."

Meanwhile...

"Has anypony seen Celestia?" Luna asked as she hurried towards the front doors with as much grace as she could muster, nearly outpacing the two royal guards and maid hurrying alongside her.

"We have not seen her, your grace," one of the soldiers replied.

"Shall we look for her?" The other guard asked.

"No, but if she does not show before they arrive, then I will simply have to explain to the public that my sister was feeling a tad under the weather today," the princess said. As soon as she reached the doors, she paused; taking in a deep breath to try and calm herself. "It is okay, Luna, you can do this, it's just your parents... who you haven't seen in a very long time," she added to herself.

With her magic barely pushing against the doors, she slowly opened them, just in time to see a great light flash across the distant sky. They were almost here. All around the courtyard and down the streets, ponies had gathered in haste. Many mares were straightening out their manes in a hurry as many stallions were doing the same. Some were dressed for the event, even to the point where they looked like they slept in their finest clothes, and yet others were dressed in what they would wear on any ordinary day. The crowded streets were filled with a dull buzzing sound, the noise generated by the constant, hushed whispers of all those attending.

High in the sky, a pair of what looked to be shooting stars began to grow larger, but Luna knew it to be a trick of the light. They were in fact becoming brighter, seeing as they were drawing closer and closer. Many ponies, unable to get a good look from the street level, had already taken to the upper-story windows of their homes and even neighboring rooftops.

Even as the sun lay high in the sky, it's light seemed to dim slightly as the two great glowing lights descended, drawing closer and closer to one another. Soon enough, they were as one bright ball, and with many an eye being shielded by their brilliance, they landed in the middle of the castle courtyard. After a small pulse of light brightened the area, even for the briefest of seconds, the light slowly began to fade away, and upon it's full retreat, there stood two figures.

The guard set to announce their arrival blinked several times in confusion before speaking. "May I present: Lord Orion and Lady Polaris, High Members of the Alicorn Council."

The pair of them were clad in the most brilliant of clothes anypony had ever seen. Robes cast from moonlight and filled with the lights of countless stars. Laurel wreaths lay upon their heads, swirling and colored as if created from miniature galaxies. They both had with them strange armor that adorned their lower legs and forearms, glittering and shimmering with an intensity that would put the most finely polished metals to shame. Even the buttons that held the robes together shimmered in the sunlight, seemingly changing color with each passing moment.

But as amazing as these clothes were, they were mere trinkets compared to the sight of the ones that were wearing them.

Lord Orion stood tall and proud, his stature ramrod straight and unwavering in its posture. He was tall, far taller than any of the ponies gathered. His pelt was the color of volcanic ash, and his mane carried with it the color of a blue supergiant star. His build was like that of an Olympic athlete, sculpted far beyond what mere mortals may consider to be "normal", with great biceps and pectorals and triceps and abdominals and all manner of muscles that carried within them strength and power. His great wings, now folded behind him, were of such size and apparent power that nopony doubted he could blow most of them away with but a single beat of them. His horn was long and curved, like that of a ram, only no ram could possess a horn which looked as if it was casted from the heart of a neutron star. As his eyes scanned the crowd, many saw that they were golden, almost glowing in nature, set in a face that made models seem like swines and upon a jaw that looked as if it could compress steel.

Countless mares fainted that day, due to his sheer magnificence, and more than a few stallions did as well.

Lady Polaris was several inches shorter than her husband, but she still towered over all of those gathered that day. Her eyes shone with a light blue hue, like that of glacial ice, yet her expression was warm and inviting. Her face held within it a kindness that made so many ponies wish to weep for joy, and the mane that flowed from her was streaked with rows upon rows of silver, gold, and crimson hues. Her pelt was a blue so deep that it rivalled that of the ocean depths, and her wings, though again slightly smaller than her husbands, were tipped with purest white, as if they had been dipped in the foam of a restless sea. Her horn was slightly curved, long and slender, colored mostly in deep blues and, like her wings, tipped at the very end in purest white. But her body... it would become the stuff of legends for the ponies gathered that day. She was built like her daughters, yet, somehow, only more so. Her curves, her edges, her everything seemed to make every model that's ever graced the runway to look like they were simply fillies playing dress-up, fillies that had no concept of just what it took to possess a body that seemed as if it had been crafted by the gods of gods.

Many a pony that day experienced a deep shame at the feelings they experienced, gazing upon her form. It did not matter if they were single or married, stallion or mare; they could barely comprehend what they were gazing upon.

Yet, it was in complete silence that everypony watched the two slowly make their way towards Princess Luna.

Meanwhile...

"I forgot how good you tasted," Celestia muttered as she let her tongue grace over the tip of Spike's cock, licking it several times before taking the head into her mouth and lightly sucking.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," he replied, his voice muffled by the fact he was underneath her, kneading the flesh around her inner thighs with his fingers, as his tongue began to caress her marehood, bucking slightly every now and then, if only to revel in the suckling sensation. "Mmm, you taste so good, too."

Meanwhile...

"Your highnesses," Princes Luna said with a prim and proper bow, her parents standing before her. "I welcome you into my home on this most auspicious day."

"Princess Luna," they replied in unison. Lord Orion's voice was low, like a whisper, yet carried a tone so deep, so strong, so powerful, that it seemed to vibrate throughout the entire courtyard. Lady Polaris, on the other hand, had a voice softer than silk, sweeter than honey, and filled with a confidence that was just infectious to the hushed crowds. "We are most glad to have been invited."

Silently, they followed their daughter into the castle, and with nary a sound, the great doors closed behind them. Outside, the public remained as quiet as church mice, unsure of what they had seen or even how to explain it to those who had not been there. Then, in ones, twos, and threes, they began to disperse, silently returning to their homes, businesses, or whatever they had been doing before the arrival of the princesses' parents. The guards slowly filtered into the castle by way of side doors, as was custom for such events; they too, could hardly believe what they had seen.

Inside, Luna was between her parents, in the middle of a hug. "It's good to see you," she said as they broke apart, smiles all around.

"It is good to see you too, Luna," Orion said, his neatly trimmed goatee framing his smile very well.

"How have you been?" Polaris asked, non-parental concern absent from her voice. Instead, she was genuinely interested, as the two of them had not seen their daughters in quite some time, and as any parent would, she wanted to know what she had been missing out on.

"Well, everything is fine and dandy, to be honest," Luna said as they walked. "Celestia's pregnancy was as normal and healthy as one would expect; no problems, no complications before the delivery, things like that. Only... well, Celestia did take a bit longer to dilate than what was expected."

"She did?" Orion queried.

"Yes, and while the birth itself was fine, Celestia accidentally blew off the top of the tower she was in when she pushed."

"Was anypony hurt?" Polaris asked.

"No, no. Nopony was hurt, thankfully, but the repairs will take several weeks to complete," Luna said. Where was Celestia? She and Spike should've been here by now. "Would you like to see your first grandfoal?"

"Oh, yes, most definitely," Polaris said with a smile.

Meanwhile...

"Oh, YES! I missed that so MUCH!" Celestia moaned, grinding herself against his rock hard cock that slipped inside her with only a touch of effort. Slowly bouncing up and down as her lover's hands grasped her jiggly ass. Celestia smiled at Spike, sweat beginning to form along her brow. "You have no idea how LONG I've been waiting to do this again."

"Well then, we'll see how LONG you can last before I have you squealing my name!" The dragon replied with a laugh.

Meanwhile...

The guards standing in front of Celestia's doors impeccably parted ways as Luna led her parents into where Zenitha lay. One of the maids, even as her eyes nearly bugged out of her head in awe at the two elder alicorns, rushed over to Princess Luna. "She awoke about five minutes ago," the maid said.

"She did? Has she been changed?" Luna asked.

"Yes, yes, everything has been taken care of; clean as a whistle."

"Mom, Dad, this is Zenitha," Luna said as she led them past the bed and around the crib. From down below, the little filly looked up at her aunt and grandparents with an expression of befuddlement and curiosity.

"Oh, she's beautiful!" Polaris whispered, reaching down the gently caress the filly's face. Instinctively, little Zenitha latched onto the hand with her tiny fingers, pressing her cheek into the soft, warm palm.

"She looks just like Celestia when she was that age," Orion said softly, marvelling at his tiny granddaughter. "Minus the tail of course."

"How much else of her father did she inherit?" Polaris asked, looking over at Luna. "She looks more like an alicorn than a dragon; I'd have thought it'd be a somewhat equal mix of traits."

"Other than the tail, her eyes are as green as his, the small scales along her belly and legs are his, and the purplish hue in her feathers and horn are his as well. We haven't seen any signs of her growing fangs or breathing fire, but we're prepared in case she does."

"Well, I'm sure Celestia would love to talk with us about little Zenitha here," Orion said as he watched the little filly's eyes look up at him. "Where is she, by the way?"

"Um, I'm not quite sure," Luna said. "She was supposed to be with me when you arrived, but she must have been—,"

"Preoccupied," a voice said, causing the three of them to look towards the door. There stood Celestia, her robes slightly wrinkled and her voice somewhat hurried, as if she were out of breath.

"Celestia!" Polaris said, walking over and pulling her eldest daughter into a hug. "Oh, it is so good to see you!"

"Hi, mom," she said, giving the elder mare a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for the ceremony: I was... preoccupied."

"Yes, we were," another voice said, and, if with a somewhat embarrassed stature, walked in Spike, his own robes matching Celestia's in appearance, and slightly out of breath as well.

"Hello; you must be Spike," Orion said, walking over and extending his hand. "Celestia has told us so much about you through her letters."

"All good things, I hope," the dragon said, feeling in awe of the taller alicorn before him. That, and slightly scared; this was Celestia's father, for crying out loud! How could he not be intimidated? "So, um... how was your journey?"

"Oh, it was good, though the planetoid near Saturn was more of a delay than we expected," the alicorn stallion replied. "We were hoping to talk with you about your upcoming bonding with our daughter."

"Orion, please, not now," Lady Polaris said with a grin as she walked over and hugged Spike as well. Wow, like mother like daughter; bodywise, that was: Spike was so thankful he could control himself to not just melt in her hug. "We've only just arrived, and we'll have plenty of time to talk about that later. Now, tell me, young drake, just how did you and my little Tia come to be together?"

"Mom, why do you have to call me that whenever we're around company?" Celestia asked, sounding less like a princess and more like a little filly whining about a nickname her parents had given her against her will. "It's embarrassing."

"Tia, I haven't seen you in ages, and besides, I'm your mother; it's my job to embarrass you."

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you didn't do so in front of him," Celestia said, nodding her head in the dragon's direction.

"Hey, I have a name, you know."

"Of course you do, dear," the princess said, coyly batting her eyelashes at him as she held his hand. "Now, mother, if you wish to know how we met, then we'll have to start at the beginning. It was many years ago..."

As Celestia explained how his egg came to be in her possession and his eventual hatching, Spike thought back to just a few minutes before, when they were indeed "preoccupied" during her parent's arrival...

"Are you sure about this?" He had asked as he flipped her over, her big juicy butt jiggling slightly as she bent over the empty desk in the library.

"I'm sure," she replied, her hands spreading her cheeks wide enough to reveal the treasure she long desired him to plunder.

"Can we start slow? We'll need lubricant." He still wasn't sure why she wanted this, but who was he to deny his princess what she wanted?

"Spike, I'm gushing like a fire hose right now; you're plenty lubricated as it is."

"Okay, okay, but I'm just putting the tip in for now."

"I am fine with that; now stick it in!"

Slowly, with his throbbing and soaked cock in a trembling hand, Spike pressed the very tip against his lover's asshole, and, in spite of what she apparently wanted, Celestia tensed up, barring access for his rod.

"I thought you wanted this?"

"I do, I just... I don't know what to expect."

"Then just relax, okay?"

He watched as his lover forced herself to relax, her body loosening up all over as she leaned down and spread her cheeks wider. On instinct, Spike snaked his free hand down and under her great asscheeks, beginning to slowly stroke her vaginal walls.

"Ooh, that's good," she moaned softly, visibly relaxing even more. "Mmm, so good, that's it."

Spike pushed a bit harder against his lover's tight ass, and in a flash, felt himself slip inside. Almost immediately, she tightened up again, and the overwhelming feeling of his dick nearly being crushed made stars sparkle in the corners of his vision.

"Hey, what did I say about loosening up?"

"I'm sorry, you're just so... big."

"So, you're telling me you can take this monster without a problem, when it's in your vagina or your mouth, but now, all of a sudden, it's too much for you?"

"Hey, I said I wanted to try it, didn't I? Just... just give me a minute to adjust, okay?"

The seconds ticked by as, indeed, Celestia did loosen around his length. But with every passing minute, Spike would push a little more of himself into her, thus causing her to tighten, thus resulting in him waiting a few seconds for her to loosen up once more. After what seemed like an eternity, Spike finally found himself unable to penetrate any further; he was all the way inside.

"Hey, I... I did it," Celestia moaned, apparently unable to move as she felt her ass rub against Spike's lower abdomen.

"Yeah, we did it," Spike replied, pulling back slightly and thrusting forward. It was so intense, not only the feeling of being so oddly gripped by her inner walls, but the fact that he was actually doing this, doing this with Celestia, the last pony he'd have ever thought would be into something like this...

He wasn't going to last long.

"Ugh! It feels so good," Celestia moaned, her hands reaching up and fiddling with her breasts as Spike gently thrust in and out of her. The sweat pouring from him as he concentrated on just maintaining an even pace, trying not to go full-out blitzkrieg on her fine ass. It was tempting, oh-so-tempting, now that he was getting the hang of it, but if he did, he'd either die, or worse.

"Celestia, I... I..."

"Me too!"

Spike groaned, partly in agony but primarily in pleasure, as he felt Celestia's tight ass cling to him; encouraging him to release all he had into her. He could just feel his balls draining, so much was coming out, so much...

"Mmm, we'll have to try that again, sometime," Celestia muttered as she slowly pushed her lover away, just enough so that he slipped out of her. She somehow managed to cast a small spell to prevent whatever seed of his still clung to his cock from falling, and she visibly clenched to prevent any more of it from escaping her sore, but thoroughly satisfied, rear. "Come now, we should get dressed. The guards are probably wondering where we are."

All he could do was nod.

"-and that's how we saved the world," Celestia finished, knocking Spike out of his little dream state and bringing him back to reality. Oh, right, her parents and the story of how they came together. In some cases, literally.

No need for them to know that part. Ever.

"So, I take it that it was quite an experience for the two of you?" Orion asked.

"You might say that," Spike said, forcing a small grin to keep up appearances.

"Oh, but the fun is only beginning," Polaris said as Luna retrieved Zenitha from her cradle and handed off the somewhat squirmy little filly to Celestia. "Now, as my husband said before, about the bonding..."

"Yes?" Spike asked.

"Well, in our culture, so long as you end up married and are truthful to your partner, it's okay to have a child before you are bonded, and seeing as you two are not married yet, we were wondering if you'd be open to a certain agreement of sorts until the "big day" arrives."

"What kind of agreement?" The dragon asked.

"The kind where you stay loyal to our daughter, and do as she wishes," Orion said simply. "Within reason, of course."

"Um... isn't that what I've already been doing this whole time?"

"Well, yes, you have," Celestia began. "However, there are a few stipulations to what mother and father are talking about, that I've come to realize need changing."

"Such as?" Spike asked.

"Yes, such as?" Her parents echoed.

"Well... I did promise Luna, here, that Spike would assist her when her "time" came, as he did for myself," Celestia said simply. "There's none I would trust more to help her than Spike, after all."

As a blush crept across a silent Luna's face, the two elder alicorns looked over at Spike with curious expression. Orion had a combination of "I should buy you a drink", "what did she say", and "I'm going to kill you", while Polaris was more of a mix of "say what", "jackpot", and "oh my".

Spike was glad he was with Celestia at that moment, or else he'd be running for the hills right now. "So... yeah, about the agreement," he said quickly. "I think it is in my best interests, and those of my daughter, that I do as her mother says. Within reason," he added, glancing at Orion.

"Well then, welcome to the family," Polaris said.

"Yeah, yeah, welcome," Orion added, his look telling Spike that the two of them were going to discuss something in private.

Later...

"So, what did he say?" Celestia asked as she placed a giggling Zenitha down into her crib.

"Stick to you like glue, or else I'm a dead dragon," Spike said. "That, and treat you good, or... same result."

"Aww, don't mind him; he just wasn't expecting the possibility of both his daughters being with the same guy, never mind a dragon," the alicorn replied, gently kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm serious!"

"So am I, love. Now, come to bed," she whispered, pulling him into her warm embrace.

"Okay, okay," he muttered, slowly laying down with her as Zenitha started yawning in her crib. "Is Cadence still coming by, tomorrow?"

"Yes, she is; she can't wait to meet our daughter," Celestia replied, snuggling against her love. "Goodnight, Spike."

"Goodnight, Celestia. I love you."

"Love you, too."

As the sun disappeared behind the horizon, and the night slowly grew deeper and deeper, our two lovers held each other close, at last asleep from the most stressful day the two of them had endured. But, as with so many other things this past year, they had endured it together, and would continue to do so, for many, many years.

The End