- - - ch 13 day 4 pt 2 - - -
Luna watched Clover… her nephew, struggle with his soup spoon. Luna smiled at the thought of getting to play aunt; unlike her, Celestia had never had children of her own. Looking up from her meal, she watched ponies on the street walk past the window they were sitting next to. It was a lovely view of the busy city street. No doubt the owner considered it the best seat in the house.
A familiar face made Luna jump. Smiling, she tapped on the window, getting the passing pony’s attention. Rarity gave a confused look for the second it took her to focus on the alicorn on the other side of the glass, then smiled with the spark of recognition.
“I thought Rarity left for Ponyville this morning,” Luna said to her sister, as she beckoned Rarity to come in to their table.
“I did, too.” Celestia turned in her seat to face the diner’s door as the bell announced Rarity’s entrance.
Rarity gave them both a bow when she neared the royal family. “Hello again, your majesties! I hope this morning went well for all of you.”
“It certainly did,” Luna said, and moved to make room for Rarity in her booth. “Please, join us.”
Rarity nodded, taking the seat next to Luna. Warm soup sounded good, and she wasn’t about to turn down an invitation from the princesses.
Celestia waved for a waitress to come over for their new guest. “We thought you had already left Canterlot.”
“I had planned on it, but I decided to do a bit of business before I left.”
A few minutes later and Rarity had a bowl of steaming soup in front of her. The small talk of the trip to the toy store had run its course, and she had even learned of the gift purchased in secret for Clover’s Hearth’s Warming present. She watched in silence for a moment as Clover used his hooves to break a chunk of the bread bowl off, but paused before taking a bite.
“What is?” he asked, pointing to the lump in his hoof.
“Bread,” Celestia answered.
The colt mumbled the word a few times, then ate the moist bread. Rarity had to snicker at the foal. That had been about the fifth time he had asked for the name of one thing or the other.
“What amuses you so?” Luna asked, a coy smile on her face.
“I was just thinking; he reminds me of Sweetie Belle. I think they would get along rather well.” Rarity’s smile faded to a serious expression, she waved a hoof as if to shoo away her own words. “Not to imply-”
Celestia laughed, interrupting Rarity. “I understand what you meant. I have a few years before I’ll have to wrap the palace in barbed wire to keep the suitors out. Who knows? By then, you may have your own colt to worry about.”
Rarity’s smile returned to her face as she again picked up her spoon. “I don’t plan on having any foals. Though I’m not opposed to playing herd mother, should I find a herd with them.”
“Really?” Luna asked, looking a bit surprised.
“Luna, not everypony wants to bear foals,” Celestia chided.
“Sorry,” Luna said, giving Rarity a nod. “You just strike me as the maternal kind.”
“No offence taken.” Rarity paused, chewing her words for a moment. “You have had foals, haven't you?” she asked Luna.
Luna nodded. “Several. I suppose half of Equestria could find me in their family tree, if they looked far enough. Both Blueblood and Twilight Sparkle are descended from my children, though from different fathers. Twilight looks so much like my daughter, Twilight Moon, that I was a bit unsettled at first. While Blueblood looks more like my second husband’s brother. Princess Platinum shows in him far more than I do.”
Rarity huffed. “No offence to you, your highness, but Blueblood is a blight on your family tree.”
Celestia was glad she hadn’t been in the middle of taking a drink. The snort of a laugh had hit her without warning, and it took all the composure not to outright cackle. “Rarity! That was...“
“Probably true,” Luna finished her sister’s sentence. “Would you believe his father is the model of politeness?” She asked, looking to Rarity.
Rarity scrunched up her face in confusion. “Really? What happened?”
“His mother...” Celestia shook her head in sympathy. “The poor thing died when he was very young, and his father was abroad, doing diplomatic work for me.” Guilt stabbed at her as the memory came back to her. She really should have helped more, but she had so much to do back then.
“So who raised him?” Rarity asked.
Celestia poked at the remains of her bread bowl. “I don’t actually know.”
Rarity frowned, looking to Luna, she could tell they were both feeling bad about making fun of him. “Does Twilight know about her ancestry? How come she didn't inherent some title?” Rarity asked, changing the topic.
Luna shrugged, and looked to her sister for the answer to that question.
“She is aware of her pedigree, but I doubt she knows about her resemblance.” Taking a sip of iced tea, Celestia looked to Rarity. “I’ve never had foals. It looks rather uncomfortable, and I find yearlings annoying.”
“Really?!” Rarity knew she should have been more calculated in her response, but finding out Princess Celestia held the same views about foals had her excited.
Celestia nodded. “I do find older foals rather endearing, though. There is something about their curiosity that I love.”
Rarity giggled. “So, what are you doing for the rest of your day together?”
“We shall spend some time at the hot springs, then return home to relax.” Luna paused just long enough to share a look with her sister. A little conversation passed between them with the blink of an eye. “Would you like to join us?”
“I would love to!” Rarity said, grinning ear to ear.
Leaving the restaurant, Rarity followed the family back to the palace. The finest hot springs in Canterlot were nestled in the caves just above the castle. Ponies from all over came to enjoy the hot mineral water, and the best view in Equestria.
All the palace’s hot springs were open to the public, except one. One little grotto had always been Celestia's favorite. She and Luna had visited it even before the idea of Canterlot existed. It had been their little paradise atop the wild mountain.
Rarity had a standing invitation to come here any time she liked, but she hated going alone.
Putting up her mane, Rarity eased herself into her favorite soaking spot, while Luna unceremoniously submerged herself into the steaming water. Rarity watched Celestia slowly wading in, coaxing Clover to join them. It didn’t take much encouragement: The colt seemed eager to be in the water, but unsure of his hoofing in the rocky shallows.
Once he was in deep enough for the water to take some of his weight, Clover took to happily swimming circles in the warm water. Celestia smiled, and let him swim about as he liked. Wading back to the water's edge, she rested next to Rarity.
“He really seems to enjoy the water,” Rarity said idly.
Celestia settled in, and closed her eyes. “He seems to take joy in the simplest things. I hope he stays that way.”
Rarity followed the example, and closed her eyes too. Half-sleep washed over her as the hot spring worked its magic, drifting in the half-lucid state till time lost meaning. Eventually it wasn’t a noise that shook her from the daze, but rather silence. Sweetie Belle had taught her that silence meant trouble from a foal.
Opening her eyes, she looked around. The first thing she saw was Celestia asleep against a smooth rock, the second was Luna watching something with a soft smile. She followed Luna’s gaze to the middle of the grotto's pool. Upon a lonely rock sat Clover. He was poised in meditation, his horn glowing softly, ebbing and surging in time with his breathing. The steam and water splayed off the unfocused magic, making a perfect dome of fog around him.
She started to say something, but Luna put a hoof to her lips, then pointed to Celestia. Rarity smiled back at Luna, nodding in understanding. Reaching over, she tapped Celestia on her wing. It only took the slightest touch to wake the Princess, who looked at her with a bit of confusion. Rarity mimicked Luna’s expression for silence, then pointed towards the colt.
Celestia’s look of confusion only deepened as she followed where she was pointing, but turned into a beaming smile once she saw Clover.
“Did you teach him that?” Rarity whispered.
Celestia shook her head. After a moment of watching Clover, her smile turned impish as she leaned forward and pushed off into the deep water.
As Celestia slowly paddled towards Clover, Rarity looked to Luna for answers, but only got an exaggerated shrug. She watched with interest as Celestia came to a stop in front of Clover, just inside his bubble of steam. Celestia’s horn flashed the faintest of lights, but whatever she had done was enough to pop the bubble.
Clover twitched at the disruption, and opened his eyes. He looked confused, but smiled when he noticed Celestia smiling up at him. It occurred to Rarity that Clover hadn’t learned what Celestia’s mischief smile looked like. He was about to, though.
Celestia’s horn again lit, this time pulling up a glob of water and tossing it at the colt; knocking him from his perch.
Clover gasped for air when he got his head back above water, but the gasp instantly turned into a laugh. His hooves thrashed at the water, spraying Celestia with a volley that initiated an all-out splash fight between the two.
“Those two,” Rarity laughed. Turing to Luna, she expected to see her laughing at the pair as well. Instead she found Luna looking back at her with that grin. Rarity’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”
Before Rarity could react, a tsunami was looming over her. At least it’s warm, she thought, as the water passed over and around her.
Laughter was the first thing Rarity heard after the wave receded. Wiping the water from her face, she tossed her wet mane back, and glared at the giggling alicorn. Rarity’s aura pinched up a bit of water like so much thread, and tossed it at Luna, hitting her square between her eyes. What she lacked in power, Rarity made up for in fine point control.
Luna giggled even harder. Putting up a little wall of magic in front of her, she used her wings to spray water.
Splashing back with her forehooves, Rarity grinned. If Luna was going to play dirty, so would she. Her magic took up two small globs of water, and with a flick, she sent them around Luna’s shield, and at her ears.
“Ack!” Luna cried, stopping her assault to rub at her ears. “That tickles.” Luna regretted her words the moment they left her mouth. That special grin, that only older sisters had, creased Rarity’s muzzle.
“Your ears are ticklish,” Rarity said.
“Thou would not.”
Rarity nodded.
Luna tried to form a protective spell around her, but the effort faltered as Rarity’s fine aura teased the tips of her ears.
“You started it, Luna,” Celestia’s voice answered.
“Fiends!” Luna gasped between fits of laughter. “Both of you.”