Rough Draft gazed out across Canterlot, its populace stirring and starting their days. He had a plate of waffles that he took a nibble of. A soft squeak came from his head, where his daughter was requesting her share. He smiled and passed up a bit, where it vanished into the hungry snout of the baby pegasus. "You have a lot of growing to do," he cooed up at her.
"There you are." Starlight approached from the entrance to the dining hall. "You're his father, right?"
Rough perked his ears, tickling the filly on his head. "His? David?"
Starlight blinked softly. "Who? Silver. The Prince, the one the Royal Sisters are getting involved in. I have questions."
"Oh, yes." He reached up with his hooves and carefully extracted the foal from above and set her down on the ground within reach of his hooves, though there was no assurance she'd stay there. For better or worse, her attention landed solidly on the food.
"Who is he?" she asked. "He's a new... thing. I'm not the most political-minded pony around, but I don't even remember hearing about this guy a few years ago, and now half the royalty in Equestria is joining his herd." She raised a brow as she sat down near Rough. "That doesn't strike you as odd?"
"If you don't mind the asking..." Rough's eyes wandered over the fiery unicorn that was questioning him. "I don't think we've been properly introduced."
"Starlight Glimmer." She gestured forward at him. "Rough Draft." Her magic wrapped around the filly. "And this little one is Sapphire Streak." She set the filly beside the plate of waffles and the small pegasus squealed with delight. "Now that that's out of the way..."
"I need a little more than that." Rough kept an eye on his daughter, though she was more than happy to just break her fast. "Why are you prying about him?"
"Because Celestia and Luna are both stressed out," she grunted, Starlight's eyes rolling. "And a lot of it boils down to him and things around him. Who brought the changelings to the city? Who are they herding with? Take him out and their stress levels would be a lot lower, so I want to know more about this mystery stallion. Is he in it for the power?"
"I doubt that." Rough's snout pulled into a smirk. "He... At least he was made in my mental image, and I wouldn't do that, so I don't think he would either. The whole power thing is... something he accepts, but not something he's looking for."
"Accept or seek, it's roughing the two up." She heaved a dramatic sigh before sitting down at the table. "They haven't been seeing eye to eye. They just don't get the other's perspective, and soon, they'll have more perspectives to worry about. This herd is the last thing they need."
Rough raised a hoof to swirl it in the air. "Why not focus on that?"
"What?" She shook her head. "Look, maybe this is a mistake. You're... actually what was it you did again?"
"Writer." He gave a soft laugh. "Not even political writing."
"Yeah... But you do at least one other thing."
"Mm?"
Starlight's magic lifted Sapphire Streak and turned her towards Rough. "You're a father." She set the satiated foal at his hooves. "I'll keep thinking on it. Thanks for the time."
Rough watched her trot away, shaking his head. "Maybe it takes a pegasus to make a pegasus happy..." He leaned in and nuzzled his daughter's head. "Put up with me at least until you're an adult."
She bopped him on the nose and gave him a stern look. That only got a laugh from Rough and he plucked her up to set her back on his head.
Silver scribbled busily at his desk. A thought came to him. He missed computers, and typing. Writing with his horn was less annoying than it had been in his physical hand, but typing was faster and better than both of the other options. He dotted an i and tilted his head at the writing. "My handwriting's better at least." Hornwriting? His penmanship. "Penponyship?" He snickered softly as he folded the letter and pressed his seal against it. It was ready to mail. Into the outbox it went.
The next in his inbox regarded him personally. The preparations for his formal union with his herd were well underway. He had to be sized and clothed for the occasion. All of them did. He hated it. "Never liked dressing up." He shook his head even as he rose to his hooves and started for the door. Despite any amount of complaints, he would do it. "Nothing gained from complaining about it." He was a prince, darn it, and princes dressed up for big events, especially their own weddings.
He felt a nervous giggle escape from within him. His wedding. How had he had so many of those without a messy divorce along the way? He was lucky.
"Hello."
He looked up to see Nefertari standing just beside him. "Oh, um, hello Nefertari. What's up?"
"The time draws close." She leaned in, nose barely an inch from his. "The time for subtle games has long passed. The time for waiting, also gone. I do not mean to lose this battle." Her furry hands cupped his cheeks. "You marry those whose peace you intend to strengthen and bind. Bind me, my infuriating stallion."
Silver felt his cheeks warm beneath her fingers. He could feel her claws, sharp and deadly, gently groom through his fur. He could smell her breath softly washing over his snout and the fire in her eyes. "Do you... Is this because you feel you have to?"
"Maybe at first," she confessed. "But I have fallen for a classic hunter's folly. I have chased you, and now I want it. Not just you, my prideful male. Your herd, I want it all. I will not be excluded from it."
"What about love?" asked Silver, though his words sounded weak even to his own ears.
She rolled her eyes. "Yours is a political marriage. Your rulers are not as subtle as they would think. Their love is not shared through your herd. But love is a thing that can be built. Love can come..." Her tongue flicked out and lapped out across Silver's nose. "But only with room. If you do not allow me to join in this, then my chance is gone."
Silver felt his heat growing worse. It did not help that Nefertari was built quite well by human standards, and she was leaning in at him, giving him a view of all she had to offer. He was annoyed with himself at even being distracted by that, but he was. "You've caused us harm before."
A snort came from her. "Name a herd mate of yours that has not. You are a stallion drawn to those that may, and do, hurt you at times." A hand brushed across his snout and onwards along his side. "I will hurt you again, of this I have little doubt. We will do so as long as we live. We will hold the other responsible, mmm, and with strength we will bring undesired behavior to task."
Silver realized something. It was surprising they hadn't been interrupted. They were in the middle of the castle. How had no one noticed what was going on by then? At least Samantha should... He twitched his ears suddenly. "Sam?"
A voice whispered softly, "You should use a callsign."
Nefertari tapped his nose. "She's already on my side."
"It's true," spoke Samantha's voice. "If she's in the herd, I can study her more easily, and she'll be my mother-in-law! That would be great! So say yes."
Silver backed away from Nefertari a few quick steps. "Stop. I'm not the only one that should be asked."
"I'm glad to have your agreement." She folded a hand over her chest, bowed, and vanished.
"Thanks, daddy!"
Silver blinked softly. "But I didn't..."
"You gave her permission to ask the others and didn't say no, good enough," corrected Samantha. "Now about those callsigns. You can be... mmm... Royal Scribbles? ... I'll think about it."
Silver shook his head as he turned back in the direction he had intended. He still needed to be outfitted for the ceremony, Nefertari or not.
Celestia and Luna blinked in shared befuddlement.
"There," said Starlight with a nervous laugh. "Now you can see things from the other's point of view."
Night nodded softly. "Proceed."
The lanky pegasus fluttered his wings before he pressed both of his forehooves to the circle he had made. "Oh honored spirits of the castle, will you share your secrets?"
A hazy image appeared. It was a maid. She held a dusting feather in her mouth and could be seen working with it. What she was working on could not be, but her form was clear as she reared up to get to high things and ducked low to get under things.
Night tilted her head at the sight. "That is likely a worker that served in the castle for quite some time."
The maid stopped and looked directly at Night. She nodded, then resumed working with her feather duster.
The pegasus' wings flew out in a sharp snap. "Wow! Hello! What's your name?"
She did not answer.
"I'm--"
The maid interrupted him with a hoof to his lips. She dropped the duster and it faded away before it hit the ground. She leaned in close to him, violating all sense of personal space, then she vanished.
Night pointed to the broken line in the circle, the chalk smeared by her own hoof. "If a spirit is not bound, it can act erratically. You should avoid physical contact with unbound spirits. Next time, exert your will more clearly before trying to interact with them."
The stallion fell back on his haunches. "S-she was gonna..." His cheeks were burning bright.
"She might have done many things, several of them uncomfortable." Night pointed back at the pegasus' desk. "Have a seat. Let's go over the importance of being firm with spirits." She returned to her own desk, looking over the class. "Even the most dearly departed can be dangerous, and it's not their fault. The spirits you see are caught in a dark place. Things can be confusing there, and they need, neigh, they want some order. A firm hoof is comforting, even if they complain."
A mare raised a hoof. "Teacher, is there a way to be a nice spirit, you know, when we die?"
Night blinked at the question. "I hope nopony in this class will die anytime soon."
"But we will, eventually." She perked her ears up. "I want to be the best spirit ever and help future shamans!"
Night had not predicted that line of questioning. The other ponies hadn't seemed to either. Uncomfortable squirms and glances echoed through the room. "I will look into that," promised Night. "But let's keep our focus on being quality shamans and improving the lives of others and ourselves. We should enjoy the time we have, not rush to move past it." She tapped her desk. "That kind of thinking can be poisonous, even to the spirits. The most angry ones are the ones that desperately want to reach the next level but can't find the way. Living or not, find the delight in the current, and make it better."
She rose up to her hooves. "I will be absent for a few days. I have selected a substitute teacher." She pointed to an earth pony stallion in the second row. "I expect you to continue practices, but no full summons while I am away. Go over basics and review the literature."
He bowed his head towards her. "I'll make you proud, teacher."
She smiled in kind. "Provided everyone is present when I get back without any possessions, you will be successful. You are all, of course, invited to the ceremony." She didn't have to specify which one, they all knew.