PROLOGUE
Royal Business
“My dear student Twilight Sparkle,
Though you have just started your mission to study the magic of friendship, I’m afraid I must once more ask for your assistance, or rather, that of your dear assistant, Spike.
I apologize for recalling him to Canterlot at such short notice, but please know that I would not make this request if it was not crucial that I have his aid in this matter of most important royal business...”
'Of most important royal business.' Spike couldn’t help but chuckle softly to himself as he thought over those five words. Five words that he was certain the writer knew would have both the immediate and wholly desired effect of causing her dear student to drop everything she was doing and ship her assistant off to the shining capital city of Canterlot without any hint of a second thought.
It was with this thought in mind that Spike the dragon quickly made his way towards the private study of Princess Celestia, his purple and green scales glistening brightly under the warm summer sun as it shone through the grand windows of Canterlot Castle. The very letter that had summoned him on this new errand held in his clawed hand as he glanced over it one final time, weaving past castle guards and staff alike.
Spike smiled and waved at many of the ponies that he passed on his way to the Princess’s private study, with many of them greeting their long-time friend with bright smiles and warm words in return. A testament, if nothing else, to the respect that the young assistant still held amongst all those that he had befriended throughout his years as both the personal aid to the Princess's personal student and as a former resident of the very castle he now walked through.
Humming to himself as he rolled the letter in his hand back to its original state as a scroll, making sure to secure it once more with its royal seal, Spike gave a final wave to a passing guard before turning his full attention to the door before him. A door that none would easily mistake for anything other than the entrance to one of the most important rooms in the castle. A door that, though small, was intricately designed in gold and silver, with a shimmering sun inlaid deep into the sturdy Oak it was constructed from. A door that the young dragon had seen many times before, and one that he now rapped his knuckles firmly upon before lapsing into a patient silence as he awaited his answer.
Thankfully for Spike, who had very little patience for standing around in silence, it did not take long for him to get a response. Almost immediately after the final rap of his scaled fist upon the door, the regal voice of Princess Celestia rang out from behind the wood, granting him access to the private room where she currently waited, seated next to the grand hearth that made up the room's fireplace. As Spike entered, he saw the Princess stretched out upon what he knew to be cushions of the finest eastern silk.
Princess Celestia, the white Alicorn of the Sun, the Queen of Equestria in all but title, smiled warmly at him as her horn suddenly lit up in a golden glow. Her magic locked the door behind him, and she greeted him with a motherly voice, through her eyes shone playfully as she spoke. "It is a pleasure to see you again, dear Spike, though I must admit, I didn't expect my faithful student to send you to me so quickly."
With the etiquette of the highest court official, Spike bowed respectfully to the Princess. “Upon reading your letter, Twilight had me on the first train to Canterlot, Your Majesty.” Straightening up, Spike then presented the letter to the Princess as his eyes took on the same playful shine as hers. "It is a matter 'of most important royal business,' after all."
Celestia, her face never losing its warm smile, or her eyes their playful shine, gave a gentle laugh into one of her hooves. “Indeed, for it is in fact, the utmost of most important royal business that I have asked you to come here today, but come now, Spike. It is just the three of us here. There really is no need for such formalities.”
At these words, Spike sighed and allowed himself to relax from upholding all the airs and graces that one is expected to carry when talking to royalty–or as he liked to call it, his 'royal mode'–before giving Celestia a happy grin. A moment later, however, his grin faltered into a confused frown as the Princess’s words sunk in. "The three of us?" asked Spike.
Celestia, clearly amused by Spike’s confusion, gestured towards the cushion opposite her. “I do believe you have already met my dear sister, have you not?”
Looking towards the cushion in question, Spike blushed in embarrassment as he realised that he had completely missed Celestia’s younger sister, Princess Luna, who sat quietly opposite her, giving the young dragon a blank stare all throughout his and Celestia's conversation.
Luna, though an alicorn like her elder sister, had a coat of purple-blue coloured fur and a mane of light blue–a stark contrast to the multi-coloured spectrum that was her sister's mane. Additionally, Luna’s mane didn’t seem to be the lengthy mass of hair, forever blowing in an ethereal wind, that Celestia's always appeared to be, but was instead cut in a much shorter style, hanging limply around her neck. She also appeared to be much smaller than her sister, her size more akin to an average pony rather than the towering grace that was Celestia.
Completely on instinct, and with more than a fair share of embarrassment, Spike snapped back into his 'royal mode' and bowed to the younger Princess, his face still flushed with the realisation that he had completely blanked one of the royal pony sisters. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Princess Luna. My apologies for not recognising your presence sooner."
Standing up, Luna bowed her head in return of Spike's greeting before addressing him in a shy, almost timid voice, as she took a gentle step forward. "'Tis a pleasure to make thine acquaintance once more, young Spike. Our sister speaks quite highly of thee.”
Standing, Celestia gave Spike a mock frown. "Spike, did I not just tell you that you needn't worry about using such formalities around us?" Letting the frown give way to another giggle at the young dragon’s guilty look, she turned her head to speak with her sister, a soft smile now gracing her lips once more. “I may have spoken highly of Spike’s achievements as an assistant to my dear student, but with Spike’s arrival, I believe it is now time for some proper introductions.” Walking across the room she sat behind Spike and wrapped her forelegs around him, pulling him into a gentle embrace against her chest, as the young dragon smiled happily at the impromptu hug. “Luna, I would like you to meet Spike Solaris. My son.”