private Diffuse Reflection (1x1 between Nightmare Season and Raven Rawne)

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The crystal mare knew something was off when the nightmare what walked in wasn't her husband, and her heart broke when she saw him on that cloud, badly injured and unconcious. "I-is he...?" She couldn't sinifh that sentence and covered her mouth with a hoof. She saw in horror as the nightmares carried him to their bedroom, knowing full well that she couldn't do anything. She called for Sparks. "Sparks, Wandering Sands, come here! take this blasted cloud to our room, I want to be with him. I have to be with him!" She nearly fell off the could, wriggling. The foals also were restless, and when the family was reunited in the bedroom, Sparks took them to the nursery. Crystal stopped the nightmare she saw first. "Wait! What happened to him?" She didn't answer the nightmare as he said his condolences. She was on the verge of tearing up. The mare motioned to her servants to move her on the bed, and she crawled to her husband, holding his head in her hooves, weeping and cursing aloud everything she could think of.

 

She didn't know how long she was at it, but, eventually, she didn't have the strength to continue. She just laid with his head on her, sobbing. At some point, aa thought pierced the black clouds of her mind. He recovered once, right? If he ears dreams, he heals. She looked around, trying to figure out how to feed him. Knocked out and unconcious, he wouldn't enter her dreams. Roots also were out of the question. The stallio's head slipped down her underside as she wriggled frantically and bumped her milk taps. With an audible eek, Crystal Clear got startled by the sudden touch there, but as soon as she figured what happened, she had an idea. "Sparks! A bucket! Clean one for Heart's sake!"

 

The young unicorn came rushing from the nursery, and soon returned with the bucket, frightened. "Y-yes crystal Clear, I got i-it." The mare started crawling to the edge of the massive bed. "Good, now help me sit, and don't tell anypony. You'll milk me and force feed him. No questions, just do it!" The young mare blushed like mad and stammered something, but nodded and helped the mare. Crystal looked as if she could kill with just staring at a pony. It was very awkward, and slightly painful to do it with hooves, but together they managed to squeeze enough for a start. "Good, now I;ll hold his head and you pour. Gently, I don't have an infinite supply in here." The mares poured some inside the stallion's mouth, and hoped he'd swallow. To their relief, body knew what to do. They fed him all they squeezed out and waited. After a few moments, Crystal moticed hos wounds seemed to close, even for a teensy bit. "I-it works! He heals! Come on, next round! Don't look at me like that, I'm not doing it for pleasure."

 

The second round was the last one for now, since her mammaries started to huer from not so gentle hoof massage. The mares agreed that Sparks will look at the foals and bring to her for feeding, and Crystal will stay with Nightmare and call her when she feels better down there. Together they managed to feed the stallion three times before nightfall - by that time Crystal recovered from her paralysis and could tend to herself, to Sparks huge relief. This whole milk business was so embarassing for her.

 

After the night feeding for the little ones, Crystal knew they will need another at sunrise, so she could squeeze out more till then. To shorten things up, the mare stacked pillows under the stallions upper body so she could get rid of the bucket. She was tired alright, and it hurt when she tried to speed up. but Crystal wouldn't let her husband down when he needed her. She managed to keep her vigil and fed the nightmare pony through the whole night, and collapsed just before sunrise. Dawn found her laying next to the strallion, with his muzzle right next to the taps. Thankfully he looked better than yesterday.

 

Sparks came into the bedroom, not sure what she'll see there. The mare made a partially amused, partially embarased snort at the sight as she held the foals in her magic grip, tucked in silk blankies. The sudden noise woke the crystal mare. "Hmmmpf? O-oh, I... slept?" She looked around, trying to make sense of her surroungings. Thats's when she felt suction on her milk factory andit woke her alright. "Whoa what the... You moved?!" She rained kisses on the stallion's head. Crystal Flame stirred from all the noise and annouced his displeasure. Sparks cleared her throat. "Oh, right, bring them over, first the foals, then the daddy."

 

Now she didn't cuss at the overblown spell - it just might've saved her husband. The little ones ate and Sparks offered to take them to the nursery. Crystal got back to Nightmare and stuffed her taps into his mouth. "C'mon, I know you did it... Suck damn you, it's not that complicated!"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare remained unconscious through out the night. He regained a slight bit of awareness as morning came. Though he was still out of it. Only the sensation of his wife's milk factory got him to think to suck. Though it was mostly as a response. He still had a ways to go.

 

He finally regain some sense when he heard his wife calling out to him to suck. He opened his eyes to see her trying to force feed him with her utters. She noticed he woke up and started kissing him again. "How.......long.....Was I out?" He weakly said. He listened to her and accepted her hugs. Though it did hurt. "Ouch." Crystal backed off from her hugging with an apology. "Feels Like...I was eaten yesterday." He looked up at her not so amused look at him. "Sorry, bad joke. So how....What happened?" He listened to her side of the story, especially about the part of feeding him with her milk.

 

"Thank you love, I might have died." He went back to help himself to more of her milk. When he had enough he let go. "Seems my little loving habit turned out to have saved me. Best thank Sunburst next we see him." He laid in bed till noon. They both heard the beating of wings as they came close to their tent. A landing was heard and Hearts-Dream started calling out to them. Crystal yelled where they were at and Hearts-Dream went to their room. She found her son with his head in Crystal's Lap. "What happened Crystal?" She asked as she ran over to start casting her healing spells. She listened to Crystal, with some blaming her not seeing this coming to warn them.

 

As she finished what she could with healing him she spoke to Crystal. "Sorry daughter. Seeing the future is always a hard thing to do. You see large blocks and have to interpret it best you can. Sometimes you can't see somethings. Like I told you before you bonded with my son. There would be a war, Nightmare will die if he is not with you. That is what I saw." She looked down at her son as he tried to roll over to a better position to snuggle his wife. "He did go to war. And by the looks of that bucket stained with milk and where you had his head, he would have died without you." The blind alicorn snuggled her daughter-in-law. "Thank you for saving him."

Edited February 2, 2017 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare was doing all the work for herself - seems it was too much to ask for an unconcious stallion to act on instincts from his foalhood. Still, he cracked an eye open from all her frustrated calls and repositioning his head.

 

"You, you're awake! That's great!" - Crystal Clear stopped trying to force feed him for a moment and threw herself in a flurry of affectionate kissing and hugging. "Nearly a day, it's morning. Why you couldn't wait for everypony to help? You want to make me a widow by trying to be a hero or something?! You're not a single colt anymore." She continued her show of affection until Nightmare Season complained about the pain it gave him. Crystal Clear stopped wrapping herself around him and repositioned to heep his head on her chest, while she layed on her side. "Sorry, but I was so worried about you! The nightmare that brought you basically said you're done for!" His joke made her scrunch her snout. It wasn't funny.

 

She held his head in her forelegs. "Soo... once you ran with those things on your tail I called the guards withthat orb you left. They took me, and everrypony that wasn't fit for fighting into our tent, and the guards went after you. Now when they brought you... I thought you were... d-dead. You looked just as bad as after the fight with the King. They said you took out fifteen but there were still more when the help came." She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "So, when they left you here on the bed, basically saying you'll bleed out, and me being still half paralysed... there was nothing I could do. I don't know for how long I just cried my eyes out holding your head, but finally I figured out I could feed you dream energy, help you heal like the last time. And since I have these..." She tapped her taps. "The taste on your tongue should be enough of a pointer. Although I might've traumatised poor Sparks, I was still half limp and ordered her to milk me. Poor girl, I need to apologise her."

 

She caressed his head as he helped himself to her milk. If not for the gravity of their situation, it would be hilarious. The couple laid like that till noon, Crystal holding his head and Nightmare takind a sip every now and then. Although Sparks had to come with the foals for their second breakfast. Crystal told her they saved the stallion and deeply apologised for causing the young mare so much embarassment. She simply expressed she'd rather not do such things in the future, or see Nightmare buried between her hindlegs for a drink.

 

At some point, the couple heard the flapping of large wings near their tent, and the coice of their alicorn mother, calling to them. She could also hear Radiance sqwawking. "In here! The bedroom!" - the crystal mare called out, much to the stallion's displeasure. She was so loud his ears started ringing. Soon the alicorn, with the phoenix on her back, came into the bedroom. She immediately started casting the healing spell and asked what happenned. Radiance flied next to the mare to be congratulated.

 

"Sand cats, a whole lot of them. They say around twenty. When they carried him here I was basically told to say goodbye, but, I found a way to bring him back. Now with all the things you saw, why you didn't warn us? He could've died you know?!" The mare hugged back her husband who started moving around the bed to snuggle to his wife. Hearts-Dream explained to them how things were with her future telling, and thanked Crystal Clear witha snuggle. She chuckled at the double assault of affection. "Okay, now I get it, I guess. So this was that terrible war you told me about? And before you get any ideas, no I don't want you to try and tinker with my body to promote "milk healing" or whatever you'd call it. I'm having enough trouble with the heat cycles already..."

 

The family enjoyed a group hug around the mare for some time, until Nightmare asked if he could get some more of her "healing potion". The healing magic closed his wounds and dimmed the pain, but he was still very weak from all the blood loss. The crystal mare blushed and nodded, but asked the alicorn to turn around. "Um, mom, could you, you know, turn around? I'd feel better having some privacy and, stuff." She did, and Nightmare satisfied his thirst from the source. Crystal still thought it's weird, but now that he was back in business, at least it felt nice. Squeezing it out with hooves was not the way to go. She caressed his head as he fed. "I haven't slept the whole night, you think you could enter my dream? Not that I mind you getting the energy that way but, I could use some rest down there."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Hearts-Dream decided to just fully leave after hearing how her son was going after Crystal's Milk. Seems he would pull through. She will stay a day to make sure he was out of any danger before heading back for her tent and wagon.

 

With Crystal asking him if he could get into her dreams, he stopped on her milk and nodded. He reached up best he could to give her a kiss, and a slight taste of her own milk from him. She laid down to try and fall asleep. And when she found herself in her dream, so looked for her husband that she knew would not be able to move around to find her. When she finally found him, he was laying down next to a crystal bush she was dreaming of.

 

The next day saw four healers show up to tend to Nightmare. Although there was not much they could do after his wounds were closed mostly by her milk and the rest was from Hearts-Dream. They did tell him to stay in bed till he was stronger again. Nightmare stayed in bed for a few days afterwards. Though he was getting stronger each time he fed on her dreams. Crimson Aurora and Crystal Flame seemed to be happy that their mother was only feeding them again.

 

On the fifth day of his recovery, Nightmare managed to get back on his hooves again. Crystal had taken great care of him. And Sparks helped her with the foals. Wandering Sands did the rest of the work around the house like cleaning up the blood that seemed to have been everywhere.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

With their mother gone from the bedroom, Crystal Clear felt more at ease with her husband poking his snout where he did. She explained to herself that it was an emergency - the thought of a grown up stallion drinking his wife's milk was just so... bizarre. She saw him nod at the proposition and try to reach her for a kiss. She leaned down to him and kissed him. She tasted her own milk that way and made a funny face, then booped the stallion. "Even nearly dead you just have to be funny, eh? Hmm, it's not bad actually. I never thought about tasting it in the first place but, yeah, it tastes... nice. I reckon you're done then? Alright, so I'll make myself comfortable and catch some long everdue Z's. See you in the dream, love." Crystal Clear gently pulled herself from under him and took a spot next to Nightmare. She wrapped herself aroung his torso and nuzzled into the fluffy chest. She soon dosed off into sleep.

 

Crystal slept for a few hours, until it was time to feed the foals. She woke up on her back, with the little ones already at work. Sparks was crimson red, which was enough of a cue. The mare spent the rest of the day in bed, to keep her "big baby", as she began calling Nightmare Season, company. Before it was time to sleep forthe night, the three ponies changed the sheets on the big bed, to get rid of all the bloodied ones. Wandering Sands was tasked with cleaning the red from their house and Sparks continued her task as a nanny. She seemed to like taking care of the foals, especially the colt, and the young mare played alot with the little ones.

 

The following morning saw the arrival of healer ponies. Crystal Clear led them to the bedroom to take a look at her husband, but, since the wounds were already closed, they threw some strengthening spells to help him recover and told to wait till his strength comes back. With Hearts-Dream around, the crystal mare thanked the healers and sent them back where they were needed. Now that Nightmare was safe, she didn't allow him to drink any more milk - it was meant for the foals, and they seemed to be satisfied that her seemingly endless suply was all theirs again. Crystal Clear are some more roots to strengthen her dreams and slept a lot to let him feed the normal way.

 

It took a few days for the stallion to recover, and he left the bed on the fifth day from his injury. Still, he could only walk a short distance or got tired. The family stayed home that day. Crystal didn't want to risk going to the lake. Thankfully, on the seventh day, he seemed to recover more or less fully. Herats-Dream brought her cart and tent by then. The family was eating dinner in the main hall, alonf with the alicorn and their servants when Crystal mused aloud. "Okay, so now that you're okay again. The cats - what do you know of them and how we can protect ourselves from them? We may not get so lucky the next time you decide to be a hero..." With their nomadic lifetyle, walls were out of the question, so maybe some magic would scare them off?

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"The Sand Cats..."Nightmare looked at his wife as he spoke. "We really don't know much about them. They are felines born from the very sands. Similar to the wolves of wood back in the forest in Equestria. Some ponies think they were born from a powerful sorceress long ago to hunt down nightmares. It is figured that way at least. Being of sand, they can resist our fire so magic dose very little. Usually they are only seen in threes to five. So having eighteen of them together was very strange. When I ran off, it was to lure them away from you and the rest of the camp. I did not expect there to be that many." Nightmare finished eating his food.

 

"Normally the sand cats remain in the chaotic mountains that surround our little valley here. So them being this far out is also unusual. That is one reason I brought us out this far from the boarder. Wanted to keep our foals and you safe and away from them. I recon they followed us all the way back here after we left the military camp at the valley."

 

A few days passed for them in peace. Their lives started to go back to normal. Nightmare kept his wife happy, Crystal kept the two foals well fed, maybe to well fed. Nightmare had a few royal duties to attend to. Hearts-Dream was off doing who knows what. Crystal had her husband on a no mommy's milk diet to his disappointment. Eventually the days turned into the monthly gathering of the clans. Thankfully the news of how she saved Nightmare did not leave that tent. So the other ponies thought it was a miracle she pulled off.

 

After the great feast, Crystal excused herself to go to the foals room to feed the hungry squirts. When she returned the stallion from Burning sands clapped his hooves together to get every pony to hush and listen. Crystal had just sat down net to Nightmare Season. She still found it amusing how fat he was with his wives fat as well. "So, I do believe we have one more important matter to get to before we get into regular business?" The other clan stallions agreed.

 

The over sized nightmare approached the couple. "Crystal Clear, Wife of the Sultan Nightmare Season. We all have heard of your deeds and accomplishments after becoming his wife." Crystal looked to Nightmare for some clue as to what was going on. Nightmare shrugged not knowing either. "You have given us the golden dream root that promises to allow out mares to bare foals with a greater chance. You are the first mare to give a nightmare pony two foals at once. The dream roots you eat daily shows us we can feed better on dreams without breaking a pony's mind. And those same roots allow you to feed your foals better than any other mare before. We lost many young due to hunger, but now we have hope for our future. You even saved your husband the sultan from a certain death. You have proven beyond a doubt that you love the ponies of our land." He gestured for a servant to bring forth a box.

 

He continued his speech. "We the clans all spoke about this before we came here tonight. We all agree with the decision. We will honor you by bestowing onto you the title of queen nightmare. You will be the only mare to hold a position of authority, and we will obey your word just as we obey the word of the sultan." He opened the box to revile a golden tiara with a gem set in the center of it. "This gem is a nightmare stone. With it, it will grant you the powers of a nightmare as well. You will lead us along side your husband for centuries to come." When he placed it on her head, she felt her mane and tail turn to flames for a short bit before turning to normal. She also felt the energy the gem now provided her. The clans in the tent all cheered, the horns that sounded when Nightmare was crowned rang out across the capital. Telling all of the new ruler.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Truth be told, Crystal Clear wasn't satisfied with the answer she got. So there was no known way to deter them, and they were hard to kill. Juuuust great. The mare frowned and continued her meal, trying to think about something on her own, but drawing blanks.

 

The following days were peaceful, although the mare was very reluctant to go back to the lake. She was convinced only after the grass around it was cut so nothing could stalk them unseen. Of course that meant grass salads for a week, but she didn't mind that much. Crystal and Nightmare had a new game though, or at least that's how she saw it - her husband sometimes tried to get to her milk tals every now and then, and she playfully didn't allow him. Although she suspected he actually took a liking to her "white gold", she was reluctant to give in to his attempts now that he was healthy again.

 

Eventually came the time for a monthly gathering of the clans. Crystal had mixed feelings about these events - she could catch up with Midnight Gleam, sure, and the ponies liked when the whole nomad nation got together, but the camp was so busy and loud, and she had to be the eyecandy on those feasts too...

 

Speaking of which, the clans made a huge feast on the first evening, to celebrate the victory at war and miraculous recovery of their Sultan. Crystal never saw the clan representatives so... cheerful. It's like somepony mixed some hard alcohol with their drinks to get them going. She just did her job at the Sultan's table, and shined for everypony's envy. The crystal mare politely excused herself from the table when the feast was over and the clans started talking. The foals needed her for evening feeding, and it took longer too since Crystal Flames was too big to allow his sister to feed right next to him. She needed to take them individually. After all, the cuties had six months already. Four more and they'll hopefully start eating some basic solid foods too. Crystal Clear went back to her spot next to Nightmare Season, after making sure she looked good in the mirror. As she sat down and smoothed her dress, the fat stallion from Burning Sands hushed the gathered clans for some kind of announcement. She mused what he was on to...

 

Okay, so the clans wanted something from her? Crystal looked at nightmare for confirmation, but he seemed none the wiser. She looked at the gathered ponies as the stallion cited her "accomplishments", what was he on to? She just did her best to feed her husband and take care of her foals, no big deal. And besides, she was doing what she was told to, and bore the effects of what was done to her. She didn't have much of an active role in all of this...

 

Now she understood. They wanted her to be a Queen. Not just Sultan's wife, a real Queen. She didn't know what to say and covered her mouth with a hoof as she gasped in surprise. As the tiara rested on her head, the mare felt her mane and tail become fire, even if just for a moment. She actually felt it! And that big, black stone seemed to seep some kind of energy into her. it felt... good, actually. She felt... confident and, powerful? Crystal nodded at the stallion who seemed to be inspecting whether the stone bestowed the power on her or not. The horns outside spoke and the gathered ponies cheered so loud her ears were ringing. The mare smiled broadly, and stood up. The clans hushed. "Sultan, my beloved husband." Crystal nodded to her husband. "Fellow nightmare ponies of all great clans." She nodded at the large table and the representatives seated there. Funny how it felt so natural to call them fellow nightmare ponies now... "I offer my deepest thanks for the great honour you bestowed on me tonight, and I promise you that I will do all that is within my power to prove that your trust was not misplaced. You've mentioned the hope I brought you, that our nation may have more foals, feed them properly, that ponies can now feed their nightmare loved ones without fear of losing their sanity. These are great things, and I know what I say. But look further - our well fed foals, numerous as they will be, will continue to die in wars that we don't want. Our loved ones may be free from nightmares, for after consuming the root their minds are safe and their dream strong enough to resist the corruption, but..." She hesitated - it wasn't the time to mention the Daymare, not before consulting with Nightmare Season. "But our waking days are far from ideal. I come from the land of peace, and it pains me to see my kin in constant war, living in fear of another war waiting just around the corner. Sure, some may benefit from it, but how many died in vain? We made peaceful relations with the Crystal Empire of the distant North, my dear homeland. We can try to do the same, with other nations. Seek the lands that haven't heard of us, where ponies, or whatever race inhabits it, have no hatred towards us. My husband said that ponies live on the other sied of that great forest. Ponies who, by all accounts, don't know about us. We have a chance, fellow nightmares. A chance to seek them out and offer trade, exchange ideas... just think about it! We may be unable to make lasting peace with our enemies, not now at least, but if we make alliances, the other pony nations will help us dull the spears of our enemies. I hope for the day when our kin knows peace, just like the Crystal Ponies in the distant North. That is my offer for you, think about it, dear clans. When we meet again, let us speak if you find this vision appealing."

 

She sat down and nuzzled her husband. Crystal would need to ask him about the nightmare stone and how it works. She felt different, but couldn't put her hoof on it.

 

When the clans finished their usual bargaining and the whole meeting was over, the sleepy mare retreated with her husband to their bedchamber. She looked into the nursery to make sure her little ones are okay - they were. She walked into the bedroom and closed the flap, then freed herself from the dress before her evening routine, but kelt the "crown". She walked to the stallion who was changing into his night attire and pulled at his ear, gently. "So... quite a surprise eh? Guess my Sultan just got his very own Queen. I say we need to celebrate it, doncha think? No worries, I'll lose my mind to the famous heat in a few days, I'm safe. But first, would you shed some light on the nightmare stone in my tiara? I feel... different now. Not like a pony in the land of nightmares, more like... like it's my land. Both the Crystal Empire and this country feel like home in equal measure. I also felt my mane and tail switch to flame for a spell. Does it mean I can change into some sort of nightmare form now? Or enter dreams? Do I actually need to eat dream energy? And what about the tiara? Does it grant me some kind of power, or it's just a decoration now, after it did something to me? Hmm... seems like our celebration will be put off for a bit, I need a lecture first. But that doean't mean I have to sit on attention, if you know what I mean..." She brushed her cheek on that magnificent fluffy chest of his to give him a hint.

Edited February 3, 2017 by Raven Rawne

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare Season listened to her speech. Somewhat is a state of shock something like that happened, and the rest was a sense of Pride that she was given such. She was actually pretty good at it too. When she finished and sat down. The other clans had a lot to think about. Peace? Was it actually a thing?

 

When the clans had left, Crystal was tired and brought him back to their room. Nightmare was wondering how best to describe the gems that was now gifted to her. She came up and tugged on his ear as he was finishing sliding into his p.j. He listened to his wife and her many questions. With the hint from her he decided. "Tough luck. My lips are sealed for the night. I will explain everything in the morning best I can. For tonight, you are mine and I am yours." He gave her a kiss. Though Crystal wanted answers, she quickly gave up once her husband got to it to put her in the mood. Poor Sparks and Wandering Sand would not get good sleep that night.

 

Morning came with Crystal snapping awake and pestering Nightmare to quickly wake up and explain the nightmare gem to her. As punishment he pulled her down to give her a little bit more loving before he decided she was punished enough for waking him up. After morning feeding for both of all four of them. Nightmare took his family out to the lake. On the way out, he told the guards to get everyone ready, they were headed for the black sea. Crystal was curious about that. As the family enjoyed their time together at the lake, she kept bugging Nightmare to tell. Spill the beans as it were.

 

"The black gems are what is left of the original nightmares. The first ones born from the terrible dreams of ponies that came to life. I suspect they gave you the one that belonged to the mare nightmare. The gem basically gives you her powers she had. As for eating dreams, you don't need to eat them to live. Though you can enter dreams now. With practice however. Oh and you will be like our daughter, Get angry and you will burst into flames. Well your mane and tail." He went on about the different magic she could do now. Mostly the same things he can do minus the unicorn levitation spell however.

 

When the camp was struck and ready to depart. Ponies came to get them and her private area he built for them to pack it up as well. It took them a week to travel to their new location. Crystal was pestering him greatly to teach her her new spells. When her time in heat came, now that she had her stallion close at hoof, she really got the urge to have his foals again. He did his best to satisfy her cravings without knocking her up. Even though she was begging for it. When her time in heat past, she was a bit better off and returned her attention back to her new tiara.

 

When they finally arrived at their new home location, Crystal jumped out to see where they were. Nightmare refused to teach her till they arrived. They found themselves at the edge of a very high rocky cliff range. A small path was leading deeper into the mountains of stone. Too small for their wagons. "This is a sacred place for us. It is the birth place of the first nightmare, as well as their resting place." Nightmare brought out the twins in their custom saddle bags. "We will move on alone. The rest of the clan may not enter here." He led Crystal through the twisting path deeper into the cliffs.

 

After about half an hour, the sands below her hooves turned black. The sand was actually black. The path opened up into a valley. The ground looked like a sea of black. The Black Sea. There was a very old tower built in the middle next to a lake. In the center of the lake, connected by a small path, was a stone altar. "This is where we will live for your training love." He led her to the tower. Meeting them at the doors were two nightmare ponies in a different kind of ceremonial armor than she seen before. Nightmare walked up to them. "The newest bearer of one of the nightmare gems is here for training." The two guards looked at her and her tiara and allowed them to enter.

 

Inside the tower she saw the first floor was a huge meeting room and table. Sitting around it was the oracles. This was also where they lived to be isolated to view the futures. Nightmare's Sister was the one to get up and show the family to their room wile they were here. It was not as grand as even their traveling tent, but it was nice regardless. "This is ours till you finish your training love. Sadly Sparks could not come with us to help with the foals."

Edited February 3, 2017 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare wasn't satisfied with his answer and let it show. As he kissed her, Crystal Clear sat and pouted, then crossed her forelegs and looked away. He won't get any until he tells her, that was the plan. Well, let's just say the plan changed. Nightmare tried his best to convince her to his plan, and he was just too good at it. Eventually, the mare succumbed and the whole tent had a concert.

 

Morning came and Crystal Clear woke up in the usual tangle of limbs with her husband. She snickered at the memory of last night, they really went to town. The sight of the tiara resting gracefully on a nearby cushion reminded her - she pulled herself off the four legged embrace and stood up on the bed, then started waking up the stallion. "C'mon, wake up! It's morning already, you promised to tell!" He... didn't like that. Crystal suddenly lost contact with the ground and then found herself laying on her back on the bed. Nightmare was on top of her and didn't ask for permission to enter. Crystal couldn't help but wake the whole tent with her love noises. The stallion was playing rough, but her "improvements" meant it didn't hurt. When he was done, she laid on the bed for some time, catching her breath.

 

Eventually the mare came back to her senses and got ready for the day. They ate breakfast and she tended to and fed the foals. Nightmare came up and announced they're going to their lake spot, and the mare nodded. The weather was really fine. She was wearing the Tiara all the time, partially because it made her feel... better? And to remind him of the promise. As the family walked towards the lake, Nightmare Season stopped a few guards and told them the camp will move to the Black Sea, whatever that was. The mare decided to ask later - she had more pressing questions, and she asked them repeatedly to wear him down.

 

Eventually, succes! Nightmare finally told her something about the gem. Somehow it wasn't so funny when she discovered she was basically wearing a dead Trueborn nightmare mare, but the long list of nightmare powers was sure interesting. The stallion didn't tell her whether the effects will last only as long as she wears it or it was now permament. Getting mighty pissed with the tiara off would answer that, probably.

 

Their clan expertly packed everything up and Sparks came to the little lakeside haven to annouce it's time to pack it too. Crystal Clear wsn't looking forward to spending the wtole days in their wagon again.

 

Turns out, it took them a week to reach their destination. She kept pestering her husband to teach her the nightmare spells and abilitie, but he kept refusing. They tried their best to keep the foals occupied and happy, but the couple found themselves locked in enclosed space during the mare's famous heat. Now that he was within reach, Crystal's mind just... stopped working. Nightmare Season had to literally flee once or twice when she was getting intolerable, but for the most part, tried to keep up with her urges without giving her another pregnancy, despite her best attempts to do just that. Like last time, she had trouble feeding the foals because of her single minded want. When the hormones quieted down, Crystal Clear was actually afraid of what heppenned to her. It was scary, being unable to control oneself. She kept to herself for a day, focusing her attention on the tiara.

 

When they finally arrived attheir destination, it was late afternoon. The mare jumped off the wagon and looked around. There was no sea here! Just... cliffs and sand. Nightmare gave her the modified saddlebags and they packed the foals inside them. Gosh they got heavy over the months. The family wandered alone into the depths of the mountains, while the clan stayed behind. She felt a bit uneasy, separated from her kin like that, but she trusted her husband.

 

Eventually she saw the Black Sea. Of sand. The sand was black, not the water or anything else. Sand sand sand! Nightmare pointed at the tower and told her they wil live there for as long as her training takes place. "I don't like it..." She mused aloud before following the stallion. He led her inside, once the guards recognised her gem. She felt a cit scared but part of her was... extatic? Like the gem was happy but not her. Weird. She saw the Oracles and figured out they lived here, Nightmare's sister was their guide to their room. It was small by their current standards, very even, but still rather nicely furnished. Crystal Clear look off the saddlebags and laid the foals on the bed. She looked it over and decided it'll be just a bit better than the one on the ship. There were no cradles or toys for her kids. "Didn't they know they're about to guest a family? With little foals? With me, ahem, training, they'll crawl up the walls from boredom! And the bed is too small for them to sleep with us too! Buck's sake with such oracles!" Her mane and tail ignited as she stomped her hoof in the floor. The foals seemed to think it was funny as they wriggled on the bed. She felt Nightmare's hoof on her shoulder, and cooled down. Her mane turned back to normal. "Ufff, so that at least works. Would it be a problem if you asked to bring their stuff in here? I don't even have spare diapers..." He said he'll ask and went outside the room. Crystal did her best to keep the kids occupied. Crystal Flame of course wanted to have a meal and Crimson Aurora was more concerned with mommy's tail - she seemed to be trying to ignite it again.

 

Nightmare Season came back and found her feeding the colt. She had enough common sense to lay with her back to the door, to save herself any embarassment. "Any luck?" He told her they were allowed to bring the bare necessities, but they had to fetch them themselves. "Hmm... lazy flanks. Okay, once they fall asleep we should be in the clear, to go. Still, those cradles are heavy, so I'll need to ask you to levitate them, okay? I'll haul the supplies."

 

They did just that and brought the foals into their cradles at late evening. Now they had a supply of diapers, towels, and roots. Nightmare needed his meals too, after all. Thankfully they were left on their own tonight. Tomorrow, the training would begin, whatever that would mean.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As Crystal inspected the room as a mother would, Nightmare looked around too. Crystal had a few issues with the size and lack of items for her foals. She ignited with her anger. He placed his hoof on her shoulder to calm her down. "I will go see if we can bring their things back here for them." He told her then went to find his sister outside their door. After he finished talking to her and getting permission, he went back into their room to find his wife suckling their son. "We can bring the things, but they don't have any pony to help us."

 

He Helped Crystal bring along all the items they needed from the camp back to the tower. After everything was set up, it was getting late and Crystal put the two to bed. He was on the bed already for her to join him. "The test tomorrow will see if you can retain the power of the nightmare mare in your gem. So do be a love and not let her overtake you?" She was taken by surprise at that. She could loose herself to the power, But he did not let her retaliate as she dose and went strait to her milk factory. She tried to stop him but gave up. He knew how to make her feel good. So much for her trying to ween him off her milk, though apart of her liked it regardless.

 

The following morning after breakfast, the Oracles took the two out of the tower and headed to the lake across the stepping stones. They told her not to wear anything that day exept her tiara. Though she use to not wear anything back in the empire, now she felt naked without cloths on she had worn everyday since becoming his when they were caught back in Equestria. She was led to the stone altar that laid on the small isle. Within it was several other gems just like hers, one spot empty though. "We ask that you sleep here for the day Crystal." Not knowing what was happening and a bit scared since it looked like a sacrificing altar, she looked to him for support. "It is alright love, nothing bad will happen. I will stay right next to you till you wake up. She agreed and was helped up on it. She found the best way to lay down to try and go to sleep.

 

Her dream if you could call it a dream. Was more like a memory. Not her own but of another. She was a nightmare mare, a trueborn at that. The land was still young and pony kind was still new. She felt everything and saw everything the old nightmare mare had. Crystal was her, but not her. She felt like she was becoming that nightmare that lived so very long ago. Felt like it was trying to take her over. She fought it best she could. At one point she heard Nightmare Season call to her from far off. "Stay with me Crystal. Don't loose yourself love." She knew she had to win for him, for her foals. If she was a nightmare now, she will be a daymare like her husband. She refused to become the mare that wanted revenge to the ponies that killed them.

 

Crystal woke up with the sun high in the sky. She felt a familiar sensation between her hind legs. Her foals were both feeding again. "Morning love. Seems you past the test." Still groggy from that horror from her sleep she looked around with blurry eyes. She saw Nightmare standing next to her and her tiara with the black gem on the altar. She came to some more. She still felt the energy from the gem in her, but the gem was not on her head. She then relised, both of her foals were feeding at once and looked down. Crystal Flames was to big to let his sister feed at the same time. To her amazement, they both fit now. So looked closer and saw she was bigger than before. If she was to guess, she was as tall as Cadence, maybe even Luna. "You've been out for three days Crystal." Nightmare told her as she almost started to freak out from her new growth spurt. "Your body grew to support your new magic." He pulled the two away from her milk glands and helped her to get off the altar and stand. Instead of seeing his chest, she now was looking at his chin. She had grown. And somehow, she knew of her magic. All the spells of the nightmare's, and how to cast them. Like she had them all her life. He poked at her forehead. To her shock, he poked a horn. "It is small, but cute. It will grow longer each year." She reached a hoof up there. A horn. a unicorn's, no, a nightmare's horn.

 

She looked at her new body. It was her, but taller. Same coat color. Mane and tail was much longer, but the same color. She felt like she was her, but also felt like she was a nightmare too. She also noticed she was hungry and craving something. Nightmare handed her five dream roots. "Eat up and get the energy. You are now part nightmare love. And dreams power your spells."

Edited February 4, 2017 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

As the mare tucked her foals in their cradles, Nightmare Season decided to test their bed. She then also climbed it and laid beside him. Her husband told her about a test tomorrow and about a risk of her losing herself to the nightmare mare inside the gem.  She was about to speak up - it was a horrifying prospect,  after all - but before she could do anything, the stallion rolled her on the back and nosedived right to her milk factory.  "Hu-what the? Nightmare stop it!" She tried to pull him away but to no avail, and after a bit she just laid resigned and ruffled his ears. "You win, freak. I've got enough anyway. Just keep your nose away from there when we're in public alright?  And don't let Sparks see. Otherwise,  go get it, I guess..." She sighed at her defeat and the pleasant sensation of being relieved of her load.

 

The next morning was pretty usual - the foals dictated their timetable and their needs were the baseline of their days. Wake up, feed, diapers,  check up if they're OK... Only once the parents ate their breakfast did the new things start.  They were asked to walk out of the tower. Crystal was expected not to wear anything but the tiara - it made her feel uncomfortable and exposed, sonde she git used to the cover the dresses provide. The pair was escorted to the altar on the lake.  She keenly noticed that there were other nightmare stones on it, with just one missing - hers. The gem filled her with apprehension and joy, but she was scared.

 

They told her to sleep here. The mare wasn't so sure and looked at Nightmare - she was exposed in here, and the altar itself looked very menacing. He gave her some reassurance and helped her climb it - seems everything in here was nightmare pony sized. Crystal Clear looked around and,  having found no immediate danger,  she tried to fall asleep laying on her side, with the back to the tower. Hopefully it won't last long, they left the foals after all! 

 

The dream she had... it was the worst dream in her life. She was that true born nightmare mare. Not just dreamed of being her - she was her. All the images were memories, and she felt them like she was there. That mare... she was evil. And she wanted to the over the crystal pony's mind. She fought back as best as she could,  tried to resist the other conciousness in her mind. At some point she heard Nightmare Season call to her from way away.  It gave her extra motivation. She wasn't doing it for herself. She pushed away the nightmare mare with all her strength.

 

Crystal Clear woke up, feeling the sun bearing down on her and warming her up. She also felt the familiar ducking at both her taps, and she didn't have to look to know which foal was where - each had different technique. Nightmare greeted her. He must've been right next to her. The mare stretched a bit to wake up some more and rubbed her eyes open. Good, she woke up as herself.  "Nghhhh mornin' love..." She opened her eyes and saw him. Handsome as ever. That blasted tiara was laying next to her. Strange,  she still felt it's power, but not the other mare's presence. Then it came to her. "Waait..." She mused aloud as she propped herself to look down at her foals.  How could the both feed!? They were as big as previously,  yet... "Well spank my flank, that's weird." She somehow grew? To the size of Princess Cadance, or even Luna? But... how? Nightmare must've seen a building freak out since he offered an explanation. "Three days... And they fed off me while I was out?" He nodded. "Right..." Crystal still tried to make sense if it all when her husband took the foals one by one and burped them. Some things cannot wait. Only once they were safe on the sand and started playing with it did he help his wife get off the altar.  Crystal stood up before him but, instead of his chest, now she saw his chin. She really grew. "Hmm, gonna miss that fluff on my eye level..." She ruffled his chest with a hoof. But what was more strange, she somehow knew all the nightmare spells instinctively. He didn't have to tell her, she just... knew. The stallion poked a hoof at her forehead and she felt he touched a horn.  Crystal brought up a hoof and felt her new body part. A nightmare horn.  It was all do surreal. "You could say the same about me just... three days ago. Why they never ask if I even want all those changes,  dammit. Like my opinion didn't matter." Crystal Clear went to the lake to see herself. She was still her alright.  Same colors, same mark, mane and rail were really long though. The horn looked weird but hopefully she'll get used to it. Although she was still proportionally big in the rump, just like previously.  Nightmare shouldn't complain though, he liked her big flank and even used it as a pillow. Funny how her legs got longer too, now she looked more like Cadance but with much bigger rear. She turned back to her husband who was trailing her with his eyes. "You liked what you saw? I won't lie, I liked myself smaller but I guess I can't file a complaint..." Something was amiss.  She felt... hungry? But not for food. He offered her five roots and she ate them.  The cultivated ones were a real blessing. "Hmm, the hunger lessened, but I still feel like I need more. Strange. Can we go back to our room? I know my dresses will be too small now but I need some time to adjust to, well, that.  Don't get me wrong but I feel like a freak show." She frowned when Nightmare said that they can only get a moment of rest and then she'll need to get to work with her horn.  They won't let her out until they're sure she can use nightmare magic with ease and safety.

 

Crystal grabbed her daughter,  who seemed to be eyeing her mommy curiously, and Nightmare took his son. The family went back to the tower under a watchful eye of one of the local nightmares.  Seems he was trying to tell if she was herself or the other mare was pretending to be Crystal. Apparently she passed since he let her walk off the island. They went to their room undisturbed - seems the Oracles were busy. Nightmare gave her more roots to chomp on and reminded her of all her nightmare powers.  Crystal listened intently - she felt she knew these spells,  but better safe than dead. He finished the lecture, and reacquainted himself with her new anatomy, as some pony knocked on the door and asked them to come out. It was time for the mare to test her nightmare powers. Starting from entering the dreams and feeding off them.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As Nightmare walked with her back to the tower, he started to say a few things. "No pony here expected you to grew bigger love. They knew you would get the horn, but that was about it. Not sure if it is the type of pony you are, or if it was caused by the spells that altered your body before. But you surprised every pony sleeping so long and growing like you did. I did like you smaller as well. Much more easier to handle in compact size." Crystal gave her husband a slight jab. "Okay, okay.....Though. You look more beautiful now. You may even be able to deal with me now." He gave her a loving kiss. "I am sure you will grow into it......Okay, bad joke."

 

Back in their room, Nightmare helped her put the two down and then gave her more roots to eat. As she ate, Nightmare told her what she should know now. "So the ritual, minus the growing bit, was to allow you to know the pony that passes on her powers to you. You should know almost every spell that I know. Like the smoke cloud. Will help you move the foals around better now. The fire spell that shoots flames from your horn. You can focus on gliphs and know which direction they are in. Like the one I drew in the cave up North. The fireball spell. Entering dreams, you will be able to feel when a pony is dreaming and take yourself into it." The list went on a few ways longer She knew all of them, except for his fire shield. She will have to have him teach her that latter.

 

He then took her to bed so he could get to know her new self. She was taller and looked more mature now. He seemed to like it."I will miss the old you some, But I am happy with the new you too. Though I fear you will be harder to handle during your heat. Or maybe your new size will lessen now that the hormones won't be so compacted in you." He was going to get her in the mood as a knock ended that idea. An oracle announced they will be testing her ability to enter dreams and feed first. Good idea since she was still hungry for more energy.

 

When they got to a room, they had a bed ready for the sleeping pony. Nightmare asked if he could be the one she tested it on. He did eat a root himself so she could go at him. He laid down and went to sleep. As he started to dream, Crystal felt the energy he had. The oracles told her how to concentrate to enter his dreams. She seemed to know already and did it. She found herself in his dream world. Although, he did not have a sweet dream, but a dark and terrifying one. He was dreaming of his past. She walked around till she found him. With Nightmare now with his wife. He told her what to do to start feeding. Though she felt like she knew how already and even tried to pick out the bad parts of the dream. She had a bad taste on her tongue as she ate. Guessing bad dreams did taste bad. Though she was not actually eating. She felt more like energy was entering into her.

 

She left him when she felt extremely full. He woke up beside her shortly after. She felt her mane and tail on fire after feeding so much. She was happy that she could turn it off at will. Unlike her husband. At least she will not look silly after baths like him. The rest of the day she was watched as she worked on her other spells. Dummies were outside for her to test her more direct spells. She especially liked the smoke cloud spell. No more of having to carry heavy objects by herself. A few she had yet to see from her husband. She tried his shield but seemed that was no good. She will have to learn it from him latter.

 

By the evening, she had showed she had a full understanding and control of her new spells. Seems the knowledge was with her from the nightmare mare who wanted her body. But she knew she was still herself. Although just taller and stronger. The family retired to their room for the night. "So how do you like your nightmare magic love?" Nightmare asked her before heading off to bed. After she answered him, there was one more thing she wanted to try out. How they will be in bed together now. With her now closer to his size, she enjoyed it even more now that he was not twice her size. He seemed to like it more too.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Although Nightmare Season was very disappointed with the knock on their door,  Crystal Clear was not. She didn't feel like letting him test her new self just yet. Even though he sure took the opportunity to let his hooves wander.

 

The mare felt weird and uncomfortable in her new size, and she couldn't fight the thought that everypony was staring where they shouldn't, now that she couldn't wear a dress to cover said parts. Everything seemed just... wrong. And that strange hunger for dream energy - she ate like, fifteen roots! How did Nightmare manage to go by on just a few every day?

 

The couple was led to a chamber with a bed in the middle.  A few nightmares were present, probably as volunteers,  but Nightmare wanted to be her first meal. She nodded after the other nightmares agreed. She saw him eat a root as soon as they knew it was time for her first dream feast. Her husband laid on the bed and eventually fell asleep.

 

She could feel it, almost like a scent in her nose. As soon as he started dreaming, the mare felt the energy of his dream seeping out of his body,  not unlike actual scent. Crystal felt a tug of her dream hunger - she felt like she was starving. An oracle provided her with tips on how to focus and enter the dream, but it felt like she did it a million times already. Crystal zoned in on the source of the salivating dream energy and went for it.

 

"Hmm, that wasn't so hard. At least they're not staring at me anymore..." Crystal found herself in Nightmare's dream, although few would call it like that.  Another bad memory... She wandered for some time,  looking for him. When she found her husband, he was waiting for her. Seems he also woke up within the dream like she used to. They exchanged a '?"good job" hug and he told her how to feed. Again,  she somehow knew it, but listened regardless.  When he was done,  she focused on absorbing the energy. It felt like she was ducking the energy like a sponge, from everything around her. The hunger was lessening. She then tried to focus her feeding on individual objects, namely the bad parts.  It was much harder, but doable. Crystal noticed that different things had different taste. Literally,  she could feel taste. The bad parts tasted awful - salty,  bitter, and all kinds of eww. No wonder the nightmares preferred to eat the good dreams. Being a daymare would seem like torture for those spoiled brats. They bid farewell when she couldn't absorb any more.

 

Crystal Clear reappeared next to her sleeping husband and noticed her mane and tail were fire, like in the normal nightmare pony. She somehow knew how to switch back to her normal hair,  and back to fire. She did it a few times for practice and settled for her absurdly long hair. She really needed a manecut. Or was it time for a new style? Anyway, Nightmare woke up and she gave him a nuzzle, then said to his ear. "Guess you too will get eaten from time to time."

 

The rest of the day was a flurry of tasks for her, and her family watched and cheered as she practiced casting nightmare pony spells.  Although she felt like each one depletes her dream energy reserve. The fire bolts were easy, she just loved the cloud spell. She couldn't pull off the shield,  since the nightmare mare that led her the power didn't know it. Although she found that she could do all other nightmare spells. Having passed the tests, the oracles decided she was free to leave as a nightmare pony. She proved that she had the strength and understanding of nightmare magic, and they settled that her growth was no cause for alarm. The family retired to their room in the evening. Crystal was tired and hungry, but not in the usual sense. She had big supper.

 

Nightmare asked her how she liked her magic as the mare laid the foals to sleep. She turned back to look at him and smiled a bit. "It wasn't bad, surely. At least I'm not defenseless anymore. They also have some good utility. Although I feel like I'm using so much energy on each of them,  that I'm starving already.  Either I do something wrong or I have a tiny dream stomach." She looked into the cradles. Weird how she was looking from so high up now. The cradles were low for her and Sparks to access. The little ones were pretty beat from the exciting day and Crimson Aurora already dozed off hugging her blanket. Crystal Flame tried to resist the sleep but was losing this fight. Eventually he also slept. Crystal walked away from the cradles and looked over the dark room. No mirrors.  She wiped loose hair off her face and sighed. So much to adjust to. Again. Nightmare was already warming up his spot in the bed and she quickly went through a simplified evening routine.  This time evening root chomping was actually nourishing, but she still felt like eating a whole basket. She'll have to ask her husband for another meal... Crystal laid in bed next to her husband.  Everything felt so small all of a sudden with her so much bigger. Instead of the usual chest pillow she had his head on her level.  The mare shot a glance at the cradles and but her lower lip. She was a bit curious how it would work now...

 

Thankfully Nightmare seemed to be always ready for some bed fun. Stallions... Crystal Clear at first caught herself trying to do the usual only to find out she reached to different spots now. With her new size she felt more like an equal to him, and soon started to act accordingly.  Earlier she let him take the lead. She missed the size difference where it mattered, but she still managed to have a very good time and then some. 

 

Morning came and both nightmare ponies had their fill off each other. Crystal figured that if she won't use her magic, maybe roots will suffice. It also dawned on her that she probably wouldn't need the troublesome bonding, with her being a nightmare pony now,  she should be immortal on her own accord,  right? The couple went through their morning routine,  she fed the kids... and daddy too... and decided to head back to their clan. Crystal tied her ridiculously long hair in buns to prevent tripping - she still haven't decided whether she'll cut it or not. They both used clouds to transport their stuff, and she took the not so little ones in the funny looking saddlebags she got from home.

 

It took nearly an hour to get back to the place they left the clan.  But once they got there, there was nopony waiting.  The mare got nervous. "Shouldn't they set a sentry to take us to camp? This is weird." Nightmare seemed to be unmoved by this and looked up at the surrounding skies, looking for something. Crystal was about to yell at him when she noticed what he was looking for.  "Smoke, that way. Could be our camp?" They decided to investigate.

 

Every minute of keeping the cloud up made her hungry. Not very badly,  just a teensy bit, but still. The thin column of black smoke guided them back to camp,  and it looked fine, to her relief. She could see their tent and the banners.  There was some movement too. The pair walked towards the camp until a guard trotted to meet them. He didn't recognise the mare at first but once this misunderstanding was settled,  he ran to camp to pass the good news.

 

The Sultan was back, and the Queen has managed to pass the bonding to become a nightmare pony.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"You will learn to control the amount of energy you use up. Eventually you will only need to use just a little bit. But for now feed best you can and practice." He told her as she watch the foals drift off to sleep. He went over to the bed to get it warmed up. He was denied earlier, but not tonight. When she came over she laid down beside him. Though by the way she acted, she also did not like the earlier interruption and was tempting him with a few wiggles. Crystal was a bit awkward at first, but seemed to adjust to her new size. When they both were satisfied they exchanged who fed on who before finally going to sleep.

 

Morning found the two side by side again. The foals woke them up demanding their mother. After she fed them, Nightmare volunteered to help clean her up down there. Taking some milk in the process of course. Now that his head fir better down there. She should be able to feed both now till they move to solid foods. They decided it best to get back to their clan and move on. Nightmare had more things to teach her as well. Now that they both had the clouds, moving was far easier. Though Crystal still wanted her foals in their saddles on her side.

 

As they left the cliffs, the camp was not there. Though Nightmare knew a trick his wife did not know about. When she asked him, he pretended to look to the sky for the answer. Though he knew precisely where it was at. She eventually saw smoke and figured it was that way. He thought it was good she figured it out. But he will tell her a better way latter. As they approached the camp. A guard came to investigate them. Crystal's new size threw him off for a bit before he ran back to tell every pony the good news.

 

Nightmare escorted his new full fledged nightmare queen back to their home. Cheers erupted at her success. Now she felt pride in overcoming the obstacle she faced. She was now with her own ponies. They took everything back inside the tent to each room they properly belonged. When the foals were set down to play, Nightmare led her to his study room where he went about his royal duties. He pulled a scroll out to show her. "Now that you are a nightmare on the inside. Let me show you a little trick to find your way home." He led her to the center hall where the center beam was located. He pointed to a small glyph scorched into the wood. Like the one he did in the cave up North, but slightly different. As she looked at it she felt where it was. "These are locator glyphs. Like the one I use to show where the dream trees I found are." He opened the scroll to show her. On it was the names of each clan next to a slightly different glyph. Each one she looked at, she felt it pull in a different direction. "If you visualize these symbols, you can always find your way to any clan or area. Don't have to look for smoke love."

 

Hearts-Dream latter came in. Nightmare had a few back ups of letters he had to attend to, so he left Crystal to talk with his mother. "I am so proud of you daughter. Though I did not see the change in your size however. I bet you are uncomfortable in your new skin." She went with Crystal over to the sitting area. "Love your new mane and tail length. I will show you how to dress it up to make my son fall in love with you all over again." Hearts-Dream used her magic to undo her bun and combed it first. She put it up in few areas with her Tiara as the clip to keep it up, though she had it hanging down on one side. "He would simple love it. Once you get your new dresses and put them on, you will make him go ga ga over you. He was always a sucker for mares in dresses and long manes."

 

She looked around to make sure no pony was around, then reached over to whisper to Crystal. "I still remember that spell that changed your important area....I can reverse it for you so it will return back to the size it was before you had your growth spurt. I figure you liked the size difference like that." She gave Crystal a wink. "Your call. It will not change your pelvis back, but it will the important area for your nights together."

Edited February 4, 2017 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

As the family returned to their home, the clan ponies came out of their tents to greet them.  Although some seemed really surprised by her new look, and a few stared where they shouldn't, Crystal Clear walked proudly with her husband to their tent. Her kin was proud of her, and she felt it. The mare, for the first time, felt like she could actually be a Queen to them, not just Sultan's exotic wife. As they dissolved their clouds, ponies helped to put their things in their place.  Sparks looked as if she needed a bucket of cold water - poor mare seemed to fail to grasp how a small crystal mare changed into a big crystal nightmare mare. Crystal Clear would have to have a talk with her, but the foals were good enough of a distraction fir now. Sparks really missed the little devils and took them eagerly.

 

Nightmare asked her to follow into his study. He showed her the locator glyphs and the mare could feel where to go to find each clan,  just like that. Crystal patted her chin in thought. "I always wondered how they could find us each month. Now I finally know. Thanks for showing me, love." She gave him a big kiss. At least now she didn't need to ask him to come down, or climb onto something to do that.  At least one plus from her new situation...

 

Later that day they had a visitor - Hearts-Dream came to the camp.  Since Nightmare Season didn't answer his mail while in Black Sea, he had a stack to attend to and excused himself at first opportunity. So Crystal Clear kept her mother in-law company in the main hall. When the clans were away they had a nice seating area on the side to eat family meals and as a meet up area. Although she couldn't shake the idea that the alicorn was plotting something again...

 

"Thanks mom. It was... a tough challenge. Pushing her back to remain myself. Pretty scary too. I'm sure glad it's behind me, although this whole growth spurt is hard to accept. Everything is different, and not necessarily better." She pouted, even though her guest couldn't see the expression. The manestyling offer was tempting and harmless enough. "Hmm, sure. I was about to figure out what to do with all this hair anyway.  My old 'do was rather not fit for a Queen..." Crystal let the other mare style her new 'do. Seems it was a good call - Hearts-Dream fixed her an easy to do style that was good looking and retained the right side hair curtain she was do used to. Her tail was harder to replicate with just hooves, but looked great - she tied a bow from the mare's own tail, with just some lace to keep it together,  and let the rest fall freely all the way to her ankles. Crystal liked the proposition very much and hugged the other mare in thanks.  They sat down again and she snickered at the remark of her husbands two favourite things in mares. "Mooom, please, let him have even a tiniest secret from you?" The secretive way the alicorn suddenly behaved put her in alert. Crystal leaned to hear whatever she had to say... and nearly died from embarrassment. She leaned back, not sure how to react. "Did you just?  You... I... But, how did you... ughhhh, I should've figured you basically spied on both of us. How else you'd know." She bit her lip and fidgeted on her cushion, but nodded.  "I guess if it won't put me at risk when I'll give birth again... Y-yeah, it would be... nice." The alicorn smiled and nodded, then cast the spell  Crystal didn't need to look to know it worked. Thankfully the other spells made her tough like cast iron so the size difference didn't put her at risk if injury. Still, she found it hard to continue the conversation about neutral topics. "So... how's the gold root powder trade going?  Does half of the mares in the nation carry a foal already?" It was meant as a joke too, and the mare figured as much.  "Heh, I see. I guess you've heard of my rash speech at the clan meeting? I'd like to try and reach out to other nations which haven't heard of us yet and make peaceful contacts.  Although I'll need the clans approval and more trade goods than just silk... But, if I get the OK then I'll try to reach out to the ponies that supposedly live on the other side of that forest Nightmare Season showed me. They're closest to us, after all. What do you think? Maybe you could try to check the future if we do so?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Raven Rawne,

 

With Crystal's permission, Hearts-Dream cast the spell on her to return her one area back to the same size as it was before. "Have fun tonight love." Though Crystal quickly changed the topic to an onslaught of questions. "Settle down. First off, every mare is now with foal.....Gotcha. No, I have been using it very wisely now. i first look into the future of each potential foal that would come of it. I will not sell it to any pony if their foal will harm your nation. So not as good as you might think." She sat right next to her to get a better whispering angle. "You never asked me of my special talent before, so I will tell you. I can see into a pony's heart and see what will make them the happiest. So that is how I know these little secrets. You wanted that one area to be your old size to make you happier. So I saw that. So I do not spy daughter." She stopped her whispering. "As for seeing into the future, you will need to come with me to my tent. I have all my things there."

 

Hearts-Dream took her back to her tent. Still stood out like a sore thumb compared to the other tents. As they entered, the alicorn pulled her deck off the shelf and started to shuffle it as they sat down at her fortune reading table. "Lets see what the cards will say about your travels......" She began to read the cards. "It looks like you will do just a few small expeditions into the forests to get a feel for them. No nightmare has gone deep in those jungles far, so your group will have to get accustomed to them. The princess from your old home will come down with your family first. The trades will take place and be successful. Hmm....." SHe looked deeper into the cards with more being drawn. "Seems you will have to keep your mother from killing Nightmare Season for changing you so much." She gave her a wink to tell her it was not that bad. "After that, you will take your clan into the jungle. Several months travel will lead you to a ruined city of stone, Swallowed up by the jungle. It is best to set the village there and take smaller groups out."

 

Hearts-Dream finished her readings. "Seems you will have luck. A great future will come about, but hardships will be there. Now that is all for now. You need to attend your party that will start soon." The alicorn led her back to her husband that was with the foals. Seemed they wanted their mommy. Nightmare did not notice any changes to Crystal, which was a good thing when next they go at it in the night. That evening the clan threw her a great party. To her surprise, Midnight Gleam was there. She had brought her a new set of armor to match her husbands and a sword just like his. "We received word you passed. We are just a days ride away. So we figured you needed a better sized armor and sword." She gave her a bow. "I will tag along for a few months to properly train you now. And I will not go easy on you like I did last time."

 

The party went into full swing. Crystal found she liked the music now, must be a bit of the true born mare that tried to control her. She got up to dance and forced Nightmare Season to join her. They enjoyed the festivities till they got tired. She noticed she did not eat as much now as before. Guess her body preferred dreams now. Though the taste of the food was still present. When both was satisfied. Crystal nearly drug him back to their bedchambers, She let Sparks put her foals to bed. She wanted to test out her new improvements.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal gave her an unamused look at the joke, but nodded at the advanced method of checking her customers. Good to know the alicorn knows how to be responsible... Although the part about her business going not as good as the crystal nightmare would want was a cause for concern. They really had so many evil foals?

 

Hearts-Dream sat next to her and Crystal knew something is ahoof. Hee ears perked up and she covered her snout with a hoof in embarrassment. She liked the way it was but really? Was it so important that the blind mare sensed it?

 

Still a bit embarrassed, she followed the blind mare to her tent. Funny how it stood out from the rest. The only one not in the colors of their clan. She sat on a cushion meant for customers and wriggled a bit. Seems she was the same on the outside as before the spell.  The change must've been on the inside. All the better.

 

She listened to the reading. Cocking her head questioningly at some parts and snickering at the mention of her mom killing Nightmare. As usual, the reading gave more questions than answers,  but she knew better than press for more.  "Hmm, thanks mom. Least I know we'll do alright in the end." She sighed. "Uh huh, a party and I have nothing to wear.  It's so weird to go about with everything on display... Anyway, thanks for the reading, I'll go see my family." She went out of the tent and walked back home with her mother in-law.

 

Nightmare Season was waiting with the foals in the main hall. Judging from their reaction it was time to open the buffet. "Aww, my little treasures missed their mommy? C'mere, let's get you something to eat." She kissed her husband who seemed to approve her new style and took the little ones to the bedroom.  Crystal Flames was riding on her back and Crimson Aurora was on her foreleg. After successful feeding she saw herself in the mirror - that new style sure looked good on her, yeah. And the "little change" down there was invisible.  Everything looked property and proportionate.

 

She forgot about calling the seamstress to take her new measurements until it was too late to make even a single dress for tonight. Only when the mare showed up in the main hall helping to set the tables for the party did Crystal remember about it, and asked for the service. She was measured and the mare took all her dresses. They shook hooves on cannibalising them for different outfits - there was no way they could be adjusted, Crystal needed entirely new ones. The first will be ready on next evening. 

 

Nightmare Season was snout deep on royal letters and the clan ponies forbid Crystal from helping around the party in her honour, so she decided to spend some time with her kids. Only when everything was ready did Wandering Sand come and ask the Sultan and Queen to attend. The couple took their seats in the main hall. They had a table for themselves and there were many small ones by the tent walls. The center was empty for mingling and dancing. One pony stood out though...

 

"Midnight Gleam, it's do nice to see you!" That sure lifted the Queen Nightmare's spirits. She liked that mare.  As soon as she stated her business and presented the gifts,  Crystal got up and tried the suit on.  "Hehe, it's like, the only thing that I fit in right now! But hie did you know my new size?" Nightmare looked at the ceiling sheepishly. "Riiiight. Guess you could take my old set for scrap,  but I think I'll want to pass it to my daughter. Crazy as it sounds,  I know." She pouted at the news of being trained. "But you know I'm no fighter,  I'll be laying on the sand as soon as the sparring starts! Bleh, okay... Just teach me, not trash me on the ground will ya?"

 

The party was great. Crystal Clear somehow enjoyed it much more than previous ones. As if her being part nightmare now affected her taste in entertainment. She liked the music and if not for her social status, she'd eagerly participate in games she suddenly knew. It was strange but also very nice - she was meant to spend her life in this land,  so actually knowing and liking what it had to offer was a big plus. The mare even snuggled her husband into submission to get him out to dance. All in all, she had a great time this evening and stayed on the "dance floor" till the party started winding down.  Feeling tired herself, Crystal went back to her cushion and nuzzled her husband's neck, then whispered into his ear. "Sultan, your Queen requires some proper rutting tonight, if you're available..." Even if he wasn't, there was not much choice for him - she was big and strong enough to drag him where she wanted anyway. Still, he took a hint and they retreated to their bedroom. Crystal couldn't wait to see his face when he realise she got another improvement...

 

Morning came and the nightmare ponies were both well fed and satisfied.  They decided that Nightmare will eat first, and her second, but it also meant that the mare wanted to sleep in longer to catch up her missing hours. And she had a lot of them after tonight, much like anypony foolish enough to pitch a tent close to theirs. She gave her best concert yet. Nightmare got up and went through his morning routine, and Crystal dragged herself to the nursery to feed the foals. Her long mane was undone and flowed down freely and her tail dragged on the carpets behind her. She fed the kids and woke up some, but still wanted to go to bed...

 

And then she heard the rattling armour and the voice of Midnight Gleam in the main hall. She shoved Wandering Sands aside and marched straight to the bed chamber to her her trainee. "Get up Crystal, it's time to put your big rump in shape." The crystal nightmare face hoofed. "Ughh, you like torturing ponies like that? I barely slept..." Midnight shook her head. "I heard loud and clear when you guys hit the hay,  but you have to adjust to less sleep like a proper nightmare pony. We spend as much as half the night feeding, and you don't see any sleepy nightmares around, right? Move that stallion drool inducing rump of yours, I'll be waiting behind the tent. If you won't come,  I'll train you in repelling a night raid with your bate hooves, got it?" She turned back and marched away.

 

"Bucking sadist." Crystal yawned and got up to get ready for her humiliating training. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

That night as he enjoyed the company of his wife, he figured out right away about her new size in that area. "I guess my mother helped you get your old size here?" It was not that hard to figure out. Though they both liked it in that proportion. He made sure no pony next to them would sleep thanks to her concert of love.

 

Morning finally came with bot of them very tired. Now that she was bigger, it took longer to get her to pass out from exhaustion. He got up to go eat something. His wife will go and feed the foals. After she fed both of them he noticed she went back to bed. He will have to fix that, now that she is the queen. When Midnight Gleam showed up at their door, he pointed her in the right direction of their bed. "She went back to bed. Try and break her of that please?" He whispered to her, and let her go get his wife.

 

Wen Midnight left, Nightmare went to her to help her do her mane and tail up so it will do better in fights. The end result was it was up off the ground, tied with leather straps to keep loose hair flying around or cut with rouge swings. Though it still fit a queen. "I don't know about you love, but I love your new length. Makes you look more beautiful. One thing I like about your new size. Now your trainer is waiting for you outside. Go get her, I will help you wash up afterwards." He got a boop on his nose for that amount of confidence. She pulled her sword off the hook and went outside in her new armor.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear was muttering something mean when Nightmare came to their bedroom. She was trying to make something out of that curtain of hair that was her mane and tail.  Nightmare Season helped her tie it all up short with leather straps. She woke up fully by now and proceeded to don her new set of armour - if Midnight was wearing hers, she figured she should too. The process of putting it up seemed so... familiar. Like she could do it with her eyes closed. Another thing from her transformation - she decided to call it that. "You keep telling me you love my new look every time my rump gets bigger... If you hire a mare to keep all that hair in check, sure. I have no idea how am I supposed to manage all that hair on my own. Washing it is enough of a challenge,  and there's styling!" She walked to the mirror to see herself all armoured up.  Not bad, but she still needed a moment to actually remember she now looks like that. That horn, long legs, slightly different snout... Crystal walked out of the bedroom, stopping to boop her husband. "I know you're trying to to cheer me up but she's going to drag me across the whole camp like a sack of grain. There's no way I could ever fight properly." She went out and he followed. Always ready to lay his eyes on her behind, stallions...

 

The crystal nightmare saw her tutor killing time by pulling off impressive fighting moves. She shook her head and approached.  "You know I don't need extra intimidation, I saw you fight my husband, remember?" Midnight finished a stunt by throwing her sword straight up and letting it land into it's scabbard. "Of course I do, my only lost duel in seventy years. But I was excused for that,  I lost to the Sultan after all. Let's see how much of an effort I'll have with his Queen then. You ready?" Crystal coked her head, face hidden under a black helmet. "What about the wooden swords?" Midnight laughed.  "Ironwood is for foals and normal ponies, you're a nightmare now. So draw that steel before you rust all over." The crystal nightmare sighed and reached for her steel. Nightmare Season took a spot in shade to watch how his wife was doing.

 

It... could be better. One moment she was carefully drawing the curved blade off it's scabbard, and the next she was laying belly up on the sand. "Rule number one - the enemy won't wait till you're ready. Also,  you should consider a separate armour for your, you know." Midnight poked what she was referring to with a foreleg as laughter resonated from her helmet. Crystal got pissed at such outward humiliation and tried to knock her off her hooves with a kick. Midnight evaded expertly and continued laughing.  "Oh my, you really are bottom heavy, I could see that kick coming before you even moved. Come on, get up.  I've seen enough of your best side."

 

The session was one sided for the most part. Crystal didn't land a single blow on her opponent as Midnight trashed her time after time, while delivering her wisdom. Okay,  her words were actually useful but how was the crystal mare supposed to learn anything from being repeatedly beaten? She was tired, hungry, and humiliated.  Midnight Gleam didn't even break a sweat, and pranced around like she was having some real fun. At some point, she turned her back to the crystal nightmare and sheathed her sword as her opponent got up again. "Uhhh alright, I don't know how am I supposed to get it easier for you than this. Wherever you're ready, I guess. The clans will never listen to a Queen who can't fight..."

 

Crystal Clear had enough of this. This wasn't training. This was having fun at her expense.  She took a deep breath and felt her mane ignite.  With one swift motion she reached for the blade with a foreleg and it clicked into a special clasp that was meant to help hold it. As she did so, she started the charge at her opponent, who was whistling in a "I am waiting, try and get me fat fkank" way. She heard the crystal nightmare approaching and dodged the charge, but instead of effortlessly sending her into the sand with a slight kick, Midnight felt a scrape of the blade on her greave. Crystal somehow knew what to do. She hacked,  slashed, stabbed and kicked. Midnight was too good to be beaten by her, but for the first time,  they actually fought. Eventually Crystal was beaten when her sword went flying and she felt a blade pressing her throat guard. She breathed heavily, still aflame. "Finally!  I was beginning to wonder if they bonded you with a real nightmare or not. You should know all she did about fighting,  but I guess you need some help in discovering your abilities. That's enough for today, tomorrow I'll teach you for real. Don't worry, you'll get better as your mind recalls the knowledge of the nightmare that lend you her power." Midnight trotted off to her tent and Crystal cooled down enough to set her mane back to normal. She got up and went to her tent, swaying from exhaustion. Nightmare joined her and walked beside her. "Go get her right? Your sense of humor is priceless." He gave her a second opinion on her mistakes and overall technique as they went back home and he helped her out of the armor. She needed a helpful hoof to get her mane and tail back I'm order. Once clean and presentably styled,  with her tiara on her head, Crystal Clear could finally eat her breakfast. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare found a nice shaded patch of sand where he laid down to watch his wife. Figured at first Midnight would run circles around her. with her taunting his wife mad Nightmare slightly upset. Though he knew what her plan was. After the igniting of his wife's temper, she actually did decent till she lost her sword. There match was over with and Crystal started to head back home. Nightmare got up and joined her.

 

"Don't worry love. You were basically just laying around all the days feeding and relaxing. You will learn in time. Stuck in that head of yours is the knowledge to fight with a sword, but your body needs to work on them over and over again for muscle memory. Also, try not to loose your temper. It usually don't go so well after that. Come, I will help you look like a queen again." He helped to take her armor off and the straps out of her hair. He washed the sand off her and brushed her tail while she did her mane. "Maybe mother can teach you how to use magic to do this for you. If it will help at least." She got her mane and tail in a style to make her look like a noble queen. Nightmare gave her a few kisses to let her know he loves looking at her now.

 

About midday after they ate and fed the foals. The first of her dresses were delivered from the seamstress. It was her favorite colored one with a longer skirt to hide her undercarriage. She put it on so she would feel the other ponies will stop looking at her milk factories. "Seeing you now, I feel like I am falling in love with you all over again. Is this punishment for something I done?" Nightmare told her as she came back to him. He brought her into a cuddle hug.

 

The rest of the day went as usual. They both had fun before they fed on dreams and went to bed. The next morning Nightmare ordered the camp to pack up and head back to the lake they were at before. Another week passed. Crystal had her lessons each evening. At least now she was a fast learner. Once she figured out she could fight, it was just the matter of putting mind to muscle. Though up against the best in Raging Fire clan, Crystal still looked like a foal fighting her mentor.

 

When they arrived at the lake, they set up their place in the same spots as last time. Including Crystals shaded and feeding area by the lake. Though she still felt a little uneasy with the grass. Though now she saw one benefit with her new size. Before the grass grew up it was fine, but now the grass was over her old self. She at least could see over it where if she was still small, she would not be able to peek over the grass.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear felt better once she looked presentable again. She eagerly accepted the help with her ridiculously long hair.  "Dunno, you said I won't be able to do unicorn magic right? And I can't think of a nightmare spell that will help." She came out of the bedroom, styled as yesterday. She liked that look. If only she had something nice to wear...

 

The burning issue of the empty wardrobe began to be adressed at midday. She was laying in the main hall and reading when the seamstress arrived with a brand new dress. It had all her favourite features - long sleeves on the front legs, silken open hoof socks on her back legs, a long skirt ending mere inches off the ground... and it was in perfect shade of azure. Crystal thanked the mare and paid from her personal bit pool. She was informed she would receive one every day until she rebuilds her wardrobe. The crystal nightmare took her silken treasure to the bedroom where she put it on and modeled by the mirror. Now everything in the world was fine. She even started to like her long legs, but there was still a lot to go for her to fully embrace her new form. The horn was the biggest issue. Crystal Clear walked to the study to show off her new purchase to Nightmare Season. "How do I look huh? I say the dress is an improvement." She snickered at his remark and walked into his outstretched forelegs for a hug.  "You punished yourself with me, I don't have to add anything on my own love. Besides, you spoiled me with those dresses so shush and let your wife shine for every pony's jealousy.  A Sultan deserves a pretty wife,  am I right?" She giggled as he let his actions speak louder than words.  She took that as a yes.

 

Next day Nightmare Season ordered the clan to head back to their lakeside spot near the forest. Crystal was happy because she wanted to start exploring it as the first step on the long road to lasting peace. The next week looked more like their trip from Equestria - the mare got a beating from Midnight Gleam every evening just like the old times.  Although this time she was actually learning things, and fast. Nightmare was right - the head knew, but body had to learn.  And harden a bit from it's soft and cushiony state.

 

They arrived without any incidents, thankfully. Crystal slowly adjusted to less sleep and practiced her nightmare magic too, since her husband agreed to feed her. When she dipped her hooves I'm the lake,  she could shoot thirty fire bolts instead of twenty before she felt completely starved.

 

First thing she noticed was the grass. It was much taller now,  and if not for her growth she could just walk in and disappear.  And so could any dangers. She ordered to cut a large swath around the camp and by the lake shores for safety. The whole camp would eat grass salads for a week. Although she found that she ate half she used to. Dreams seemed to be her main food now.

 

Thus set up, the crystal nightmare balanced her responsibility as a mother,  wife, and combat trainee until the clans came for the meeting. She would hear their verdict on her grand plan and see her after the transformation.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Over the few days they got back into their normal order of things, Nightmare was teaching Crystal on free times how to use the unicorn magic for levitation. He was right, unicorn spells are very hard to do with just a nightmare's horn. Though after several days, she was able to levitate her brush at least. Hearts-Dream also came by regularly to teach her a spell to instantly do her mane and tail. Also was very hard to learn and do.

 

Another week passed to find Crystal in her famous heat cycle. Though this time she managed to keep her mind, but the urge to breed was still there. Nightmare did his best to help her get the pleasure her body craved without giving her a little present inside. She had to stop her training those few days for the urge was to much to deal with and fighting together. She did get through it without getting knocked up. Then she went back to her training, which she was starting to get decent at.

 

When the time came for the clans to meet up. They all gathered at the capital where they will meet and discuss the future. Though first however was the great feast. Now that she was a queen, she did not have to play the role she use to. She was now an equal to her Husband. So they both served the food to each other before the rest took their shares.

 

After they feasted, it was time for their votes. It was a close call, but Crystal won her plan by two votes. They could begin to explore the jungle and find out what is out there. Crimson was on her way to eating regular food with a few milk meals. Crystal Flames however wanted to continue with his milk service. So the two were able to have more hours in the day to themselves.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Although Crystal Clear was very skeptical, her husband and mother in-law decided to try and teach her unicorn magic to get a hold on her rope-like length of hair. She thought it was ridiculous kind of funny to learn magic just for that, but she tried her best. Maybe eventually she'll learn something more, who knew. It took almost a week until she finally realised how to siphon magic through her horn, rather than try to breathe out through it. The big success, as her teachers called it, was when she could hold her brush in the air and awkwardly move it around. Hearts-Dream also tought her a spell to instantly fix her mane and tail, but she had way more problems with it. Usually she felt spent after doing just the tail, and had to do her mane by hoof. Still, progress.

 

The crystal nightmare was afraid of her next heat cycle, but when it finally came, it wasn't so unsufferably bad as the last one. She had problems with focusing on anything else but her needs, but at least she knew what she was doing all the time. Although they had to cease all the lessons as she stayed home. Nightmare Season was doing his best to keep her satisfied, but seems that she forgot that word entirely and always wanted more. Hopefully when the heat dissipated she wasn't pregnant and could resume her duties and lessons. At least she was getting better at fighting, and even started scoring hits on Midnight, although she was still too bad to drop her.

 

Finally, the time has arrived for the clan gathering. Crystal was very anxious for the whole day and barely ate. She wanted to know the decision about her plan. The sight of crystal nightmare being so big all of a sudden came as a shock to some, although apparently the news were out for some time. Only a few took is as some kind of a sign. She hoped the nightmares would overinterpret her growth and gve her carte blanche, but it didn't happen. She enjoyed the feast, since now she was equal to her husband and they served eachother by the table. Small change but an important one. Although the mare almost regretted eating anything as her stomach twisted in knots when the vote came. Poisoned Oasis, Raging Fires and Shooting Stars were the biggest clans that said no, but her plan passed, albeit narrowly by just 2 votes. She knew she shouldn't ask them for help until they changed their minds. Burning Sands were the most enthusiastic, since they already had their eyes on the jungle riches and wanted to find something worth trading with the distant lands, like the silk.

 

Next morning, after combat training and "practical excercises with magic" - making her royal look just right - Crystal Clear asked her husband for a short meeting to draw out the first steps of her plan. They sat in his study and the mare laid out a piece of parchment to make notes. She couldn't write with her horn yet, so she took a wooden quill and would write with her mouth.

 

"Alright, so I was thinking on how to tackle that forest and I have a few ideas I'd like to talk about. Now we can't rely on three clans that are best in scouting, so I guess we'll have to do it ourselves. I figured we could select two teams of our guards, five each, and send them for a few hours into the forest as different places. They could put locator glyphs on any shelter and water sources they find, as well as try to make some rudimentary maps of the terrain based on their reports. Our foals still want me to feed them, so I'm tied to the camp for some time yet. I need to figure out some dream diet for Crystal Flame, he won't let go of me for regular food and I understand why. Maybe some root stew? Anyways, that's my plan, to poke the forest with patrols until we get some vague idea what to expect and our kids let go of my taps. Of course, we can go out and see it for ourselves for a couple hours too. What do you think? Reasonable or I'm playing too safe?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare mimicked his wife with his hoof at his chin while thinking. "The small patrols to do early scouting would be good, Though it rains past here a lot, so I don't think we will have issues locating water. Shelters will be nice, however, we do have our own tents after all. So just open areas big enough for the tents. Asking for maps from a nightmare will not do well. We don't use maps so they don't know how to properly make any." He got up to pull a scroll down from the shelf. "We know one thing. This scroll was made by one nightmare long ago. The Great river comes out of that Jungle, We could follow it into the jungle at first." He passed the scroll to her. "As for our foals. Crimson Aurora seems to be close to wanting to move to solids now, So we can start to ween her. As for Crystal Flames, I will remove the magic seal on him. That way he will be able to feel dream energy when we sleep and will try to learn how to enter dreams as well. That will help his hunger for your milk."

 

When their little meeting came to a close, Nightmare led his wife out for a walk. Sparks was left with the twins, which she enjoyed now. Especially with the colt. The couple walked to the edge of the jungle where they skirted the thickest parts. "Hardest part will be finding a path for us to travel on. Food will not seem to be an issue however." He said as he picked a fruit. "Burning Sands will probably send some of their farmers with us to scout the trees." He looked into the jungle. He then looked back to his wife and grinned. When she asked him what he was thinking about, he tackled her in a loving hug and started kissing her. Crystal knew he was after her and tried to stop him, but he was to good and knew how to tempt her to just enjoy the ride. Especially now that her back entrance was more sensitive to his size. Even after being married this long. They both enjoyed doing it, maybe even addicted to it.

 

When they both were satisfied and tired, Nightmare asked her something "When would you like to have foals again? Thanks to mother, it is no longer try for foals, but just do it and we get them." He snuggled up to her as they laid next to each other. He nuzzled her lovingly. He seemed to be serious about his question.

 

When they figured they were gone long enough. they dusted themselves off and walked back. Nightmare giving her a sweet kiss to finish off their love session in the woods. They only had a month or so before the Crystal Empire sailed down to them. Letters to Crystal stated they had built a ship out of crystal, so they were excited about seeing such a thing.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The crystal nightmare smirked a bit as she saw how her husband mimicked her. She scribbled some notes as he talked, nodding occasionally. The scroll piqued her interest, but it only mentioned he river. Hmm, did Dark Waters vote "aye"? They did indeed. She took the scroll for later reading. "I had the same plan for our daughter, but... is it safe for Crystal Flame to enter dreams on his own? I don't know nightmare foals, so that sounds rather weird for me, you know. Besides, who would he feed from? Hopefully not his sister..."

 

She wasn't sold on the idea of letting her foal enter dreams and feed on random, so they'd have to talk about it some more. Crystal Clear checked on Sparks and her kids before following Nightmare for a walk - the nanny was doing great as always. The couple walked through the great camp - the clans were still present - and towards the jungle. Crystal Clear took in every detail she managed to see. The wall of green was her first big project as a Queen and she didn't want to fail...

 

Nightmare mused aloud about the problems with finding roads, and abundance of food. Then he looked into the jungle, and back at her with a grin. Crystal cocked her head, looked behind him where he looked earlier, then at his grin. "What? I can't see anything there. W-wait!" She thumped on the carpet of grass and tried to get him off her. "Oh come on, get a hold on that sand sized brain of yours, you'll ruin my dress! Nightmare Season! Ahh okay, have it your way..." She started kissing back and let her hooves wander. Stupid sexy colt always knew how to turn her on, and she never regretted it.

 

They made a concert for the birds and just layed in the grass afterwards. He used her flank as a pillow and she tought it was funny. "You're buying me a new dress for that. You ruined this one, you wild beast." She pulled at his ear playfully. The sudden question took her by surprise, and he took the opportunity to get a four legged snuggle around her. "I uhh... haven't thought about it. I mean. our twins are still so little. And I am useless when pregnant." She nuzzled her husband. "Maybe one more year? We'll need another nanny too - Sparks won't be able to handle four or five. Don't worry, I'll give you a whole army, just not all at once, okay?" She booped him. "Let's get back, before they'll start looking for us."

 

The crystal nightmare went stright to the bedroom, meeting Sparks on the way. The mares shared a knowing look and the unicorn shook her head. Her employers seemed to always think of one thing... Crystal washed up and changed her dress, then took thescroll Nightmare gave her to read it.

 

She decided to share her thoughts after dinner, then they were turning to bed. She pulled out the scroll and laid on the bed, then motioned him to lay beside her. "Look, the scroll says the Great River is supposed to flow from the  forest, but it's already very wide when it leaves it. I reckon, based on what I saw in Equestria, that it's actually very long and maybe even flows across the forest. So I figured that, if we talk Dark Waters into it, they could build barges to swim against the current. Solves both the problem of housing and roads, and we can get on the shore at any time. So Burning Sands can get their seeds, and maybe we'll discover something useful, like, new plants and the like. What do you think?"

 

He seemed to agree for the most part, but offered some more pointers and nightmare pony specific insight. Seems a talk with Dark Waters and Burning Sands was in order before they left. They would have to break camp soon anyway to head to the dock where they were scheduled to meet the Crystal Ponies for trade.