I couldn’t help but smile as Sunset trotted along next to me, a bounce in her step. She was so obviously happy.
It was fucking adorable to be honest.
Skitter walked along my other side and I’m sure Amber was… somewhere, keeping an eye on things. Just because you couldn’t see it, didn’t mean a changeling wasn’t about to save your life.
I really should ask how they do that sometime. Skitter did the same kind of ninja bullshit before.
…Speaking of which, I had never actually seen Amber and Skitter in the same room. I glanced at her suspiciously before I mentally shrugged.
Yeah, no. Skitter was way too busy to follow me around.
“So, breakfast?” I asked Sunset. “I was promised food.”
She giggled. “Come on, this way. I know a cafe that serves the most amazing sandwiches.”
As it turned out, she wasn’t lying. It was a small café in a primarily unicorn neighbourhood close to the second ring of walls. A small family place run by what seemed to be a pair of earth ponies.
I’ll never give up Silver Leaf’s tea and pastries, but this place may have to be one of my new favourites.
Picking up my lightly toasted cheese, tomato and daffodil sandwich I took a bite and then looked over at Sunset. “I almost forgive you for waking me.”
She just stuck her tongue out at me. “Told you it was amazing.”
Taking another bite, I couldn’t help but agree.
“So… Twilight?” I asked, raising my eyebrow at her. “Ideas?”
“Not sure,” Sunset said and poked at her sandwich. “I’m thinking going to the theatre, maybe?”
I nodded. “Sounds fun.”
Maybe I should ask Luna the same when she got back. I then smiled at another thought. I really should do something like that for Celestia too. She deserved to just get away for a couple of hours too and I bet she would love it.
Maybe she could do the same kind of transformation spell Luna used. That was one big problem with the entire ‘alicorn thing’.
Without illusions and such we kind of stood out.
“Your Highness, is everything to your satisfaction?”
Awesome, someone was actually addressing Skitter like she deserved.
“Sir?”
I paused and glanced up, seeing Skitter and Sunset both looking behind me, so I glanced back at the earth pony mare with a pale yellow coat and darker mane looking at me. The waitress.
I glanced down. Nope, illusion in place.
“Huh?”
She smiled at me. “Your food, your highness? Is it satisfactory?”
“I… uhm… yes? Very good. But why do you call me that?” I asked with a frown. “I’m not royalty, I’m not even officially Princess Luna’s Consort.”
Yet.
She looked at my back and bowed again. “If that’s your wish, Your Highness.”
…Shit, she knew something.
I frowned at her. “Come, sit. Why don’t you tell us what you think you know?”
She hesitated and then settled down by the table. “Like what, sir?”
“What is your name and why do you call me royalty?”
“…Paprika. My name is Paprika, sir,” she said and hesitated. “…And because you are an alicorn, sir.”
Son of a fucking bitch, who leaked?
“Where did you hear that, Paprika?” Sunset asked with a frown, leaning to the side to look at my back. “I don’t see any wings. Do you?”
Paprika shook her head. “Neither do I, Miss. But it’s not my place to question. I felt it wise to be polite rather than not. My brother told me, he works by the airship docks.”
“Where did he hear it?”
“I don’t know.”
Well, I did. Either somepony leaked or word was starting to get out from Starlight's little town. Or somepony saw me when I was flying with Twilight.
Or somepony saw me through a window at the tower, pegasi with binoculars or something.
It could be a hundred thousand things that did it. Honestly, other than asking people to keep it secret and using an illusion, I didn’t really do much to hide it.
It wouldn’t last forever, but I had hoped to last more than a couple of months to be honest.
“Thank you, Paprika,” I sighed and rubbed my forehead. “And yes, the food is delicious.”
“Thank you!” she said and perked up, getting up. “Enjoy your meal!”
Nodding, I waited until she left before I sighed again. Sunset frowned at me as Skitter shifted to let her side touch mine. “It’ll be fine, sir.”
Nodding, I turned my sandwich in my magic. “…Yeah. I know.”
“Who know, maybe you can get lessons on how to Princess.”
I glared at the amused looking changeling as Sunset hid a giggle behind her hoof.
Yeah, yeah, very funny.
Shaking my head, I took a bite out of my sandwich with a small sigh. “So… game is up, I guess?”
“Maybe,” Skitter said. “I think you need to discuss it with Princess Celestia.”
I nodded. “…Yeah, you are probably right.”
Well, this sucked.
Oh well. If anything good came from this, it would be the ability to stretch my wings whenever I wanted. I swear, I was developing a cramp in my right one from keeping them folded for hours on hours.
*Gets home. Sits down in the quietest, most remote corner.* "NnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"Is Page really going to do that all night long?"
"Seems like it."
"Complete with the mornful music?"
"Most likely."
"Popcorn?"
Well, that secret survived more chapters than I've thought. :D
I've been reading too much Rites of Ascension. I'm always expecting some kind of assassination plot when his alicorn status and relative lack of power is revealed.
Then I realize that the normal kind of "consequences" in a story like this is just a whole bunch of paperwork and headaches. Not a cored dagger in the back.
I hope he will be able to keep his secret for a bit longer, or at the very least be able to deny royalty for a time. Prince Page just doesn't sit right with me.
8067715 I like the fact this a no etu brutus story.
8067715 I'm very much enjoying that this is a mostly chill story, no epic political schemes to topple a country and whatnot. Maybe some adventurous shenanigans here and there wouldn't hurt though.
Another Awesome Chapter!
It's a shame page but I think it's just rumours currently so the secret could last a bit longer yet.
Paprika: the best spice.
I smell a rat.
No one, she saw it... in your dreams!
ok it looks as if the cat is out of the bag or is it Alicorn.
I like the transition. Everything adorable, happy, everyone full of smiles... SON OF A FUCKING BITCH, WHO LEAKED?
8068186 that was a great movie just as good as inception was.
About time it happened.
8067915 Oh, yeah, definitely. I enjoy both styles.
I just need to remember to switch.
But are alicorns royalty by default in Equestrian law?
I could see him causing ponies some confusion with that.
"Not all royalty must be alicorns, and likewise not all alicorns must be royalty."
8068191 If that was a reference, I didn't get it. Unless it was Preacher
"i crown you princess page!"
"........"
"its the only avalible title."
"but im a guy, shouldn't i be a prince?"
"actually...twilight please show him the org chart. as you can see, the princesses are higher than princes so you can only be a princess."
"is cadance out on maternity leave yet? i think i want to overthrow her kingdom just to get the title king"
8068810 Page! What are you doing with that bone Saw?
"What I must....what I must...."
8069182 well can't say i liked the guy but killing sining armpoor by cutting his balls off with a bone saw is just too much
8069861 omg this entire conversation just made my day
Too bad any of the alphabet soup agencies don't exist in Equestria.
the Spicest pony won't reveatl it's sources.
Okay I'm going to say that this is the perfect song for Page and Luna.
Keeper of the stars by Skillet
8068768 it was a TF2 reference. Demoman
8070829 Oh. No competitive multiplayer for me
Good as always!
It would've if you had a vacuum cleaner!
Did you get that joke?
do you know what happens to people when they do that? I sure as hell do.
9342084
No. Just no. Sure, they didn't want it getting out for a while yet, but they also understood and accepted that it would get out on it's own.
9342084
Snitches get stitches.
Im not too old for one more job.
8070203
I agree I'm in pain
It was unavoudable... Mare in heat will be protesting not getting Stud service
10968262
And Page is sure to be considered a prime stud at that.
Raity blabbed. Calling her a good friend is inaccurate. Calling her a friend is beyond the pale. She talks. Alot.
*Angry mob besieg the throne room*
Nobility:
"This injustices needs to be corrected!"
Celestia:
"What is the meaning of this?!"
Nobility turning out to be all mares in closer inspection:
"We have a Alicorn stud, first in existence! But there a no stud service papers to fill out in triplicate!"
Celestia:
"Are you joking?"
Angry mob getting more angry:
"This is no laughing matter! We all could get Alicorn foals flying around and zapping anything around them while they fly by!"
Celestia:
"You do realize he is literally in a new born body?"
*Angry mob getting deathly quite*
Celestia:
"He is mentally adult, but his body is despite appearances like that of a newborn foal with mostly apperance being mature. He can bearly fly, his magic merely slightly above average and he hasn't even learned to use Earthpony magic actively.
Further just like a normal foal, he has to reach sexuell maturity as a Alicorn!"
*Nobility looking in absolut horror at Celestia*
Celestia:
"Let it be spoken in a official declaration, Blank Page is literally less than a year old in his current body, even if it behave like a adult mortal body it is a immortal less than a year old body!"
*Half the Nobility in attendance is fainting*
Celestia:
"He is only shooting blanks until he reaches sexuell maturity between 10 and 100 years of existence in his immortal body!"
*Rest of the Nobel mare fainting*
[Later]
Blank Page:
"And they believed you!?"
Celestia:
"Technically nothing was a lie, until you produce a heir for Equestria."
Blank Page:
Celestia:
"Now open wide!"
*Presents Applejam for foals in a spoon to feed Page*
Blank Page: