Why is he looking at me like that? No, don't come over here!
Golden Glow woke up remarkably peacefully, snuggling with his assistant, who hadn't awoken just yet. Sunlight poured in through the window, and it was still early enough according to the clock, that he didn't bother waking Marble up. He simply snuggles in with the soft, sweet smelling mare. He looked at the expertly styled mane with the two short pigtails laying on either side of her head, and the bangs leaving just enough height for her eyes, and a lock of hair on either side of her face. He examined how she used the gradient of forest green to pastel pink for a consistent looking style. He was impressed at how she made her mane's style fit the color so well.
Before long, the mare gracefully woke up and looked straight into Golden's ice blue eyes, "How long have you been up?"
"Eh, I was relaxing." He said.
She smirked, "And starring at me?"
"What can I say? You're a really pretty mare." He complimented her.
Marble blushed a bright red, "W-well thank you. I don't really ever get told that..."
"Then I'll start telling you that, how's that?" The stallion asked.
She smiled, "That would be nice..."
"Well, you're the prettiest mare I've met." He complimented again.
She giggled quietly, "Oh stop, that one was just to flatter me."
"Was it?" He asked, snarkily.
She sniffed, "You need a shower."
Half an hour later, Golden had thoroughly cleaned, and gotten ready for the day. They were sitting in the dining room, with a finished breakfast.
"Mondays being free days, we already used that one up, so now it's time to get into your royal duties. The Prince of Saddle Arabia is coming for a diplomatic meeting today. There will be a banquet for lunch. Your job is to develop a working friendship with him there so you can begin negotiations when needed. If you're uncomfortable with doing the negotiations, we can put a diplomat in the place for you, but the big part is the friendship part, think you can manage that?" Informed and asked Marble.
Golden looked at her, "It just has to be friendship, right? Nothing more?"
"Normally, I would encourage the princess to develop a romantic relationship with him, but you're my princess, and I can't ask a male princess to do that." She said.
He let out a heavy sigh of relief, "Thank whatever higher power is at work here..."
"You believe in higher power?" She inquired.
He responded, "I know it sounds weird, but honestly, I'd rather believe my whole life and lead a happy one because of it and have it turn out to be false in the end than to be bitterly going through life because I don't believe to learn it was true all along in the end."
"Didn't think of it that way... You're not going to convert me or something, are you?" Asked the mare.
He laughed, "Of course not, why would I force that upon anyone?"
"Excuse me, I was supposed to inform you that the prince is running on time." Said a maid who poked her head inside the room.
Golden turned and looked at her, "Thank you, and I'm sorry about yesterday."
"Really, princess, it's alright." She sweetly smiled.
Golden shook his head, "No, it's not, and I'm not going to let it go until I'm forgiven."
"Oh, well thank you, princess. I forgive you..." She exited, quietly closing the door behind her.
Marble smiled, "That was really kind of you."
"I felt obligated to apologize to her after I treated her yesterday morning when she woke us up." He said.
She replied, "It was still sweet of you."
"Guess it was part of how I grew up. My parents would never let me get away without apologizing when I did something wrong." He explained.
She looked at his beautiful eyes, "Honestly, you would be a nearly perfect princess if you we're female."
"Don't make this about that, please." He requested.
Just then, the prince of Saddle Arabia burst into the doors, hanging his jacket on the guard standing outside rudely. He walked over in an eccentric fashion and looked admiring at both ponies. He eyes Marble, obviously inferring that she was an assistant due to the pendant she wore. His expression grew flirtatious as he turned towards Golden Glow.
He smiled as he opened his mouth, "Today is one of diplomatic relations. I cannot say I have done this with a more stunning princess in the past. Your..." He raised an eyebrow as he saw the golden haired princess completely ignoring him.
"I apologise, but princess Golden Glow doesn't respond to random outright flirting. Please try to open up a friendship with her before expecting her to respond to your attempts to win her over." Marble stated.
Taken aback, the prince looked at Marble, "Oh, I see. Well, once a friendship is developed, she and I might be spending a lot more time together, so please try not to intrude, maid."
"Maid? Did you just call my assistant a maid? I'm sorry, but if you are to earn my friendship, you have to not only respect me, but also Ms. Fountain." Said Golden.
The prince's eyes widened, "I apologise, princess, and Ms. Fountain. What may I do to fix my mistake?"
"You're forgiven, now please get out of this dining room." Golden commanded.
The prince awkwardly left, shutting the double doors behind himself. Marble smiled at Golden.
"That was pretty entertaining." She said.
He asked, "Didn't you want me to make friends with him?"
"I honestly don't think negotiations are going anywhere. They haven't in over twenty years, with three different royal figures. This is why I don't like Saddle Arabian monarchies. You could be stuck with the same jerk for longer than they're welcome." She stated.
His expression straightened, "How much older than me is he?"
"This is a new prince, actually. He's about your age. Seems worse than the last guy. Let's just hope his diplomat is reasonable. The last one nearly beheaded our last princess." She answered.
He reeled back a bit, "Seriously? I don't think I want to do the diplomatic meeting. Friendship I can do, but I like having a head on my shoulders."
"Alright, I'll talk to your diplomat. You should go explore the palace a bit. It's a nice place. If you see prince Rude Dude around, at least play like you're becoming friends, alright?" She left the room, leaving Golden alone.
He stood up and walked out a few minutes later. He began walking large corridors of the palace, opening doors that looked interesting to look inside. He witnessed parts of some entrepreneurial meetings, watched one layer of the banquet's cake being made, saw ponies training in the indoor Olympic sized pool, and even watched a movie in the theater. Eventually, he made his way to the courtyard, where he sat on a bench and began to watch the fountain.