Le Long Du Cauchemard
Celestia opened her eyes to see herself in a grand castle, covered from floor to ceiling in sparkling marble and gold. Rich red velvet lined the walls, matching the carpets that ran down the glorious staircase in the center of the hall. An entire wall of glass shimmered behind the staircase, showing the twinkling of the stars in the night sky and a crescent moon, shining brightly like the sky was grinning at her. Smiling, she looked around and noticed the guests milling about, each in their absolute best. The stallions wore a variety of monocles and top hats along with bowties and cuffs while the mares were dressed in some of the fanciest gowns she could imagine. Glancing down at herself, Celestia raised an eyebrow when she saw her white coat shining back.
"This won't do at all," she mumbled, closing her eyes.
She smiled again as she thought of her favorite dress, a wonderful golden and purple gown she had worn to many galas when she was about three hundred years younger. It had a wonderfully sharp collar above the flowing fabrics across her back, forming waves similar to the colors in her mane and tail. The matching necklace and tiara held noticeably larger gemstones, along with the slippers to complete the ensemble. Faint voices of long gone friends whispered compliments about it from the far reaches of her memory, warming her cheeks as she opened her eyes to see the wonderful colors again. Looking herself over, her smile widened as the dress covered her, just as perfect as she remembered.
Her eyes twinkled as she glanced around the room again, striding gracefully as she followed the red carpet to the gigantic archway to her left. Once she stepped through the doorway, the scene of a gala in full swing greeted her. Ponies milled about and spoke among themselves, glancing about. Waiters and waitresses combed through the guests with practiced ease, snatching away empty glasses and offering snacks at every precise moment. On either side of the arch, her guards snapped a crisp salute before they pounded the shafts of their spears on the stone floor, silencing the crowd and drawing everypony's attention in moments.
"Her highness, Princess Celestia," the guard said, his voice echoing on the stone walls.
Applause rang out following his statement, causing Celestia to blush a bit before stepping forward and clearing her throat.
"My dearest little ponies, welcome to the four-hundredth and fifty-third Grand Galloping Gala," she said, wondering why she picked that specific number. "I am honored all of you could attend. Tonight, we celebrate the prosperity of Equestria and the glorious future that awaits us. Our treaty with the Griffon Kingdom has been renewed, ties to our sister nation across the sea are stronger than ever, and Equestria has reached its five hundredth year without conflict."
More applause broke out, allowing her to catch her breath. This was all starting to feel very familiar, yet it seemed implausibly alien to her. True, she had constantly renewed the treaty between Equestria and the griffons, so she easily could have forgotten one renewal, but she couldn't recall a sister nation that had close ties to her homeland. Remembering she was most likely dreaming, though, she smiled wider and pressed on, wondering if Luna would show up.
"Thank you, but a Princess is nothing without her wonderful subjects. Without the help of everypony here, we would not be half the nation we are. Enjoy tonight, everyone. You have earned it."
She bowed as everypony applauded again, glancing up and smiling to the guests when one pony caught her eye. He was much taller than the surrounding crowd and wearing a stunning suit of navy blue, accenting the glow of his emerald eyes. Blinking, she smiled wider and walked down the steps, leading to the ballroom floor and saw him shift through the crowd and make his way over to her. Her horn lit and a small light burned on the tip, just bright enough for one of the waiters to hurry over.
"Apologies, my Princess," he said, nodding swiftly. "What can I get for you?"
"It's quite alright," she replied, her smile softening. "A bottle of Chardonneigh and two glasses, please."
"At once," the waiter said before darting off back to the refreshments on the far side of the room.
Celestia breathed deeply as she tried to calm the small butterflies in her tummy when she heard a set of hooves stop short.
"Pardon, but are you perhaps the angel of my dreams?"
Jacques blinked as the sparkling gold of the room hit his eyes, nearly blinding him as he looked around. People of all shapes and sizes stood around, chatting like old friends and filling the room with revelry. The crowd was dressed impeccably. The men all sported tailored suits of interesting colors, some brighter than others, while the women wore dresses of magnificent designs. He darkly suspected they were all Italian or English, but he found himself admiring them all the same.
He spun in place, watching as the garçons offered drinks and hors d'oeuvres to the guests when one approached him. "Wine, sir?"
Jacques looked at the crystal glass and the warm burgundy of the drink within. Part of him tried to reach for it, but he shook his head and stayed his arm. "Non. Not tonight."
"Very well. I will be around should you change your mind," the garçon said, turning on his heels and striding away.
It took a few passes around the room for Jacques to realize he was at a ball of some kind. With the immaculate venue and the attendees, a pit began to form in his stomach, especially when he heard the sounds of spears slamming into the floor. He froze, wishing with all his might this wasn't what he thought it was when a voice pierced the air. "Her majesty, Princess Celestia."
Time seemed to freeze as he spun slowly, following everyone's gaze. An icy needle stabbed his chest as he saw the most magnificently dressed woman of the entire party standing on the balcony, looking at the crowd with a welcoming smile. She was tall, graceful and had the most spectacular rainbow colored hair he had ever seen. Her dress of maroon and gold complimented every curve of her, from her face to her arms.
"Celestia..." he whispered as he took a step forward, only to freeze again once she began speaking. Her speech was short, but he hardly paid any attention to her words. She radiated grace, power and beauty in a way that complimented each aspect without one being dominant while still retaining an almost child-like innocence. Chilling waves swept down his back when the crowd applauded again, reminding him to as well. She continued again briefly before the final cheer rose from the sea around him, giving her the opportunity to look around.
When their eyes locked, Jacques swore he could see excitement in her twinkling magenta eyes.
Feeling unusually brave, he began to sidle his way around the other partygoers as she strode down the steps, knowing he had to speak with her again. There was no denying this wasn't a figment of his imagination any longer. She was real and he had seen enough to know she knew him as well. He said a silent prayer as he weaved around a small group, thanking the Lord for sending her to him and that he did not mess up what he was about to say. As he finally reached the clearing where she stood, however, she was chatting with one of the garçons. Deciding it was a good time to look himself over, he cringed a bit at his dusty overcoat and yellowed cravat, but he was glad his boots were shining and his shirt and pants were clean.
Standing up a little taller, he watched the garçon dart off and strode up behind her with slow steps, pausing a mere arm's length away. Breathing deeply, Jacques took a step to his left and said, "Pardon, but are you perhaps the angel of my dreams?"
She turned slowly, her hair flowing on an invisible wind as she looked into his eyes, smiling that perfect smile again. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Are you the charming gentlecolt I remember from my dreams?"
Jacques faltered at that, his mind grasping wildly for the right words. "Only if it means you are real."
She laughed at that, her voice as melodious as a set of bells. "Then I am indeed the angel you speak of."
A smile unlike any other split Jacques' face as he reached for her hand and kissed it gingerly, glancing back up to her eyes. "If you are her, then I am he."
He released her hand and watched her blush, smiling wider as they turned and walked between the other guests. Whispers flew around them, followed closely by quick glances and raised eyebrows. The crowds parted, bowing and nodding to them when one of the garçons approached with a tray in hand.
"My Princess," he said, bowing slightly as he presented the silver platter.
Celestia nodded back to the waiter and turned to Jacques, watching his eyes shimmer with excitement.
"Oh, after you," he said, waving a hoof.
She giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof. "It's only because I'm royalty, right?"
"Of course not," Jacques said, flipping his mane back. "A lady and princess must always have the first and best of the wine. It is only proper in France."
"And what about you, my honored guest?" she asked, raising an amused eyebrow. "Because in Equestria, a guest is always first to be served."
Jacques opened his mouth for a moment, but closed it as the unmistakable look of surprise crossed his face. He blinked twice before looking over to the waiter, who nodded to him quickly. Glancing back to Celestia, he smiled slowly and reached out a hoof for the glass.
"Wait!" Celestia said, reaching out her own hoof. She pressed it against Jacques' leg and he yanked it back, the glass somehow perfectly held within his curled hoof. Shock melted her concern as Jacques looked between her and the glass.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
Celestia blinked, staring at his hoof gripping the glass. It was somehow curled around the stem, cupping the bulb without snapping the stem in two. She looked back at his eyes and saw concern as his hoof moved to return it to the tray. "No, no. Go ahead. I thought I... saw something."
Jacques looked back at the wine glass and stared for a few seconds before looking up. "Garçon, what wine is this?"
The waiter looked over to him, an eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"What wine is this?" Jacques repeated slightly slower than before.
The waiter tilted his head. "Chardonneigh, sir."
Jacques looked back to the glass and raised it up to the ceiling, staring at it intently before swirling it. The golden liquid within spun gracefully as he lowered it to his nose and sniffed the wine. "What year is this vintage?"
"Seventeen fifty-nine," the waiter replied crisply.
Jacques nodded, the twinkle returning to his eyes. Grinning, he pressed the glass to his lips and drank slowly, closing his eyes and removing it after two gulps. "Ah, very good. A fine year, no doubt."
Celestia smiled as she looked to her own glass, lighting her horn when Jacques spun in place, glancing out to the crowd behind. She sipped slowly, savoring the taste before setting the glass down. She glanced over to Jacques, noting the odd expression on his face as he slowly lowered the glass from his snout.
"Is something the matter?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jacques glanced between the glass and Celestia, his own eyebrows knit in confusion. Her arms were perfectly still, yet he was sure he saw the glass move from the waiter's tray. He blinked as he looked back into her eyes and smiled.
"No, nothing," he replied, his tone light. "I just thought that--"
A deafening blast of sound rang out in the ballroom, causing everyone to jump and some to scream. Several glasses broke around the room as shouting followed.
"Are you alright?" Jacques asked, catching Celestia's arm.
"I'm fine," she replied, turning to the staircase. "But what in Equestria was--"
More shouting and the unmistakable sound of swords clashing bit the air, turning it ice cold as Jacques turned to the entryway. Soldiers from around the ballroom were sprinting to it, weapons drawn, as a tidal wave of angry slogans ripped across the room. Terror seized Jacques as he took a step back, his grip tightening on Celestia's arm.
"Jacques!" Celestia shouted before gunfire drowned her words.
"Run!" he roared, tugging her with as he turned.
Celestia nearly toppled over as screaming overtook the room, mixing with the sound of weapons clashing and gunshots. Tearing her gaze away from Jacques, she glanced back at the entryway to see ponies pouring in with swords, spears and knives brandished. They dove at her guard, burying them in a flash of bodies and shining steel. The guards screamed in terror before becoming silent and the pony's weapons were drenched in red.
Chaos erupted around them as Jacques yanked on her leg, breaking her attention from the horrific sight. "We need to leave! Now!" he roared as the guests scattered.
Her legs shook as she turned back to the scene. More of the psychotic murderous ponies poured in, screaming wordlessly as they descended upon her guests and turned their blades upon them. A wave of pressure pressed against her as ponies shoved against her and each other to get away, screaming and crying in fear.
"What--?" Celestia managed to say before a gunshot rang out, followed by something flying through her mane and dangerously close to her neck. She nearly threw herself on the floor and covered her head as she willed a shield into existence. Strangely, she felt no surge of magic as another body threw itself on top of her.
"Come on!" Jacques yelled. "We have to get out of here before--"
His sentence went unfinished as another shout overtook him. Celestia saw a figure fly at him from the corner of her eye, a long carving knife in its hoof.
"Noooo!" she shouted as the knife plunged into Jacques' chest.
Jacques woke, violently kicking the sheets from his body as he screamed, frantically grabbing at his chest. A sharp pain clawed at his chest and his heart throbbed, feeling like it had stopped completely. He scrambled from his bed, grabbing a dagger from the nightstand and waving it around wildly. He rose to his feet and panted as he spun around, searching the room for anyone else. After three full revolutions, he finally caught his chest and sank to the floor, shuddering uncontrollably.
He ran his shaking hands through his drenched hair, grinding his teeth before tugging at his locks and pounding his wrists into his forehead. The dream had been terrifyingly vivid. His chest still burned where the assailant's knife had stabbed him in the dream and Celestia's scream still rang in his ears. He glanced at the window behind him, noting the half moon still shining in the sky and closed his eyes as he leaned back against the bed.
"Merde," he muttered. "Why?"
Horrible memories erupted like a fountain in his mind. Pictures of blood and blades, followed by the shouts of revolutionaries made him clench his hair tighter. Despite his best efforts, the memories of that night had infected his dreams and the beautiful angel Celestia had seen them.
He had to find her. The sooner he found her, the sooner he could leave Paris and the Revolution behind.
Celestia leaped from her bed, landing flat on her chin as she kicked violently. Her silken sheets gave a loud tearing sound as she flailed, her magic grabbing anything around her and flinging them to the opposite side of the room. She shouted as she whipped her head back and forth, searching for Jacques when a loud bang drew her attention. Light poured in as several shadowy figures raced in, spears drawn and Celestia screamed again, throwing up a shield around herself.
"Princess!" her guard called, fanning out in the room and pointing their spears at every shadow. "Princess, it's us!"
"Get them!" Celestia shrieked, her pupils tiny. "Get them!"
"Who, Princess?" the head guard shouted as the others dove into the shadows, stabbing violently at the dark corners of the room.
"The attackers!"
"FIND THEM AND LOCK EVERYTHING DOWN!" the lead guard roared. "THERE ARE ASSASSINS IN THE CASTLE!"
His horn lit as the sound of a horn filled the air, followed by the various shouts of the Royal Guard from around the grounds. The commander ran towards her as the rest of the guards bolted from the room and his horn flashed, followed by an orb of translucent green surrounding them. Celestia caught her breath as she pulled herself from the ground, heaving as she let go of her own shield. She had barely taken two breaths when a flash of midnight blue filled the room, followed by a snarl from the guardspony.
"Sister!" Luna shouted.
"Prove you are Princess Luna at once!" the commander ordered.
Luna narrowed her eyes as she took a step forward. "My sister prefers lemon cake with vanilla frosting, her favorite story is The Little Matchstick Filly and two years ago, she went on her first date in five centuries with the prince of Saddle Arabia."
The guard turned to Celestia and nodded as he let his shield down, allowing Luna to trot up to them. Concern replaced the hard look in her eyes as she hugged Celestia, who meekly hugged back. Celestia shook slightly as the images of the attack flooded back into her mind. She squeezed Luna tighter when a sharp pain shot through her hind leg.
"Ow," she winced, pulling herself from Luna's hug and grabbing the ruined sheet. She tugged her leg once and the sheet ripped again, freeing her hoof. The guard immediately rushed over and gingerly touched her hoof, ensuring it wasn't broken.
"What happened? Who were the assailants?" Luna asked.
"I... I don't..." Celestia said, shaking her head.
Luna stared at her and her horn lit. "Were you asleep?"
Celestia shuddered before looking back at Luna, tearing up. "I... I think so..."
Luna's eyes turned pure white as she sat down. "Do you mind if we see what happened?"
Celestia gulped, but nodded. An instant later, she was standing in the hallway of her castle, smiling to herself.
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Why? For the glory of celestia of course!
So you can stay with her! Afterlife in Equestria...
Ah, finally a few details the dream filter can't adjust for. Also, this "sister nation across the sea" intrigues me. It seems odd it would be one of Jacques' memories leaking through, because I highly doubt any European powers would consider their colonies as sister nations (and America was only a few years old at this point, so it's out of the running). And it can't be Celestia's memory because across the Celestia Sea is Griffonstone which they just made a treaty with.
Oh we have got to get these kids together in one form and one world.
Don't intend to read, sounds interesting but not my cup of tea.
Thanks for reminding me of a song I now wanna listen to, though.
<3 Beatles. (They're over-rated, still good tho)
I had suspected he was a noble, and now we have confirmation.
So through the wonders of shared dreams Celestia gets to experience the majesty and liberty of the French Revolution. Sounds like fun times for all!
I wonder if there is something in Equestria out to get the princess, and her dream is some eerie premonition.
And in some bizarre way, Jacques may be her savior.
I can't wait for more.
That was pretty trippy
Wow never thought that would happen. But still an amazing chapter, I appreciate the amount of work you put into it. Look forward to more in the future.
Moar plux
I really like this
skepdick.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/spanish-inquisition.jpg
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/242/214/be4.jpg
no I don't know my history, who do you think I am? a normal person?
The title's capitalized, so I suppose it may be a proper noun, but 'nightmare' in french is spelled 'cauchemar', without a 'd' at the end.
6970591
It's definitely America, France and the US were tight after the American Revolution.
6970885 And the award for Pointless Comment of the Day goes to...
6971393 *plus de chapitres, s'il vous plaît
(disclaimer: I am not a French speaker at all)
6971600
Word.
Whelp... the awkward moment when reality destroys a serene dream.
Luna comes to the rescue! It will be interesting reading about her observation.
6971600
I don't know.. they were allies yes, but Sister nations? France mostly just helped out to get back at Britain, and even then the war gained them little and left them over 1 billion livres in debt. The only really "good" thing that came out of it in the short term was weakening the position of the government (and inspiring the people) just prior to the French revolution.
Then again, it's a fragment of a memory which made it's was across dimensions. Maybe details were lost or Equestrian just doesn't have a word for "those ex-colonies we aided" so the dream interpreted it to an approximate term.
6971702 Why thank you, thank you.
I'd like to thank my family, my loving dog, and all my friends at school who think I'm a "C O O L K I D D O".
To be serious, was just thanking the author for reminding me of the song.
Oooooooh interesting, his fears manifested on the dream. But is underatandable since that is currently happening.
Wow, Celestia will be one relived mare once she sees he's alright once they meet in the next Dream.
Jacques::Jock
France::Prance
Unintentional?
This must be so embarrassing.
Guard 1: When was the last time the castle defenses were mobilized?
Guard 2: About two decades ago.
Guard 1: What happened?
Guard 2: One of the princesses had a nightmare.
Guard 1: ......
Please, don´t wait so long time to post a chapter of so awesome history! It is a interesting history
6973821 What he said. This is great!
This story is amazing! Too bad it updates so late. If only...
6971053 Or her destruction
Isn't that how these things usually go?
Where's chapter four? I need my fix man! Use your time portal and contact you just after you finished the chapter and post it now, I'm desperate!
Enjoy the tale immensely! Hope to read more soon!
6981927 thank you
It'll be interesting to see if the altered perceptions affect Luna. If she sees things as they really are, things could get interesting.
Oh man this could go one of two ways! What will Luna seeeeee!?
This is in
thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/vintage-white-military-army-tents-25156855.jpg
Lovin' it so far. (Can't believe I made that joke)
6971861
When Luna learns more about these two, you do realize she's gonna ship them so hard that even Cadance will stand up and take notice. As for meeting for real, I don't think Fate will be so kind. Still, if he ends up with his head stuck in a guillotine or at the end of a hangman's noose, a last-moment teleport could save him from dying, only to end up in a land of magic and rainbows-- and your dream-crush turns out to be a magical horse. Well, can't win 'em all I guess. Heh.
7007129 The flipping out and ensuing panic is what I'm banking on - comedy wise at least.
This isn't comedy though, so we'll have to see what will happen next.
Heh, typical French, hates the English, over what? What's a couple of invasions between friends?
Of course, each side of the dream is unique, as perceived by each person. But one difference intrigues me, and I don't see that anyone has pointed it out yet:
Celestia's side:
Jaques' side:
Now personally, I've always preferred that she be officially addressed as 'her majesty' because (I think) that's how you address the queen of England. Wherein also princes and princesses are called 'your highness.' So like, I would address Twilight as 'your highness.' Or maybe it's 'your royal highness,' anyway, I digress.
Is this just a writing flub, or is there a reason for the difference? Is it perhaps the language coming into play? Or is it that Tia only sees herself as 'highness' and not the next step up, which would be 'majesty,' but Jaques does, because he sees Tia as someone even more revered than a 'highness.'
Well it seems the light shall follow another path that was rather unexpected
7006296
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please, continue the fic, I love it!
This story is a well written piece of fiction that makes the reader yearn for more and binge read it again and again even though it's only three chapters.
Comet Burst how long until the next chapter?
More their must be more NOW!!!
This story pleases me. I eagerly await the next chapter, and Luna's investigation into this shared dream.
... Bout time someone wrote a Sunbutt ship fic that makes sense.
Oops, I forgot to like after I faved.
Woah, that was a twist.
6970591 it would be America...
Looks like their shared perspective is leading to some inconsistencies, given Jacques curling his fingers to hold a wine glass looks weird to Celestia. Doesn't really seem surprising that Jacques' nightmare is leaking in, since it seems the initial set-up of the dream was all Celestia's doing as a GGG.