“Your submission to my will.”
Celestia’s gaze was locked onto that of the bat pony mare in front of her. Unable to blink or move, she felt that lavender stare pouring into her mind, seeking to overwhelm and subdue her will. Celestia felt herself being pushed to her limits, but she rallied, her will snapping back like a released rubber band and throwing Mistress Cuddles back.
“I’m sorry Mistress Cuddles,” Celestia said, pleased at having taken this much control back. “But I’m afraid I won’t be submitting to you today.”
“Excellent,” Cuddles said, clapping her hooves together in glee. “Not worn all the way down to a nub yet, are you?”
“Excuse me?” Celestia asked, somewhat puzzled by her captor’s pleased reaction at her resistance.
“Your will is still strong, Princess,” Mistress Cuddles said, smiling as the light level in the glade began to rise as the sun came up. “So, let me offer you a different bargain, Princess. I will let you read this newspaper, and the morning papers for the next two days. On condition that you obey my commands during those days.”
“That is not a promise I can give,” Celestia said, shaking her head, “not without knowing what the nature of your commands are going to be.”
“They will be nothing onerous,” Cuddles said, holding the paper up. “Nothing immoral, nor illegal, and I know you really do want to read the paper. Give me your word that you will obey me for the next three days and you will get what you want.” Celestia thought about it for a few moments then nodded.
“Very well, you have a deal. I will obey your commands,” Celestia said, before going on to add, “providing that they are, as you say, not illegal, immoral or onerous.”
“Wonderful,” Mistress Cuddles replied. “First, a few general commands. For the next three days you will not attempt escape, you will not try to hurt yourself or others, and you will eat, drink and sleep as much as you are able.” One of Celestia’s eyebrows rose, along with her ears.
“Those are…surprisingly reasonable commands,” Celestia said, wolfing down her pancake with a few bites. “I will have no problem following them. Now, the newspaper please.”
“Not quite yet, Princess,” Cuddles said with a smile. “Come over here and sit by me.” Celestia blinked, there were only two chairs at the table, where did Mistress Cuddles want...
“You want me sitting at your feet, is that it?” Celestia asked, deliberately not moving from her chair. “I said I would obey you. I did not say I would submit to you.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Mistress Cuddles said, matter of factly. “I intend to brush out your mane while you read the paper.”
“You...wait, what?” Celestia asked, not quite sure of what she had just heard.
“Please still your mane Princess,” Cuddles said, the corner of her mouth tipping up in a smirk to reveal a single, delicately pointed fang. “Then come here, sit down and let me brush it out for you, while you read the paper.”
“Very well,” Celestia said, completely confused at how reasonable her captor was being. She let her mane become natural and solid again through an effort of will, and came around the table to sit with her back to Mistress Cuddles.
“Here you are, Princess,” Cuddles said, hoofing the newspaper over Celestia’s shoulder as she began to go through the princess’s mane. Celestia eagerly began to read the front page of the paper, the words on the page flowing into her like water into a pony dying of thirst.
“IS CELESTIA DEAD?” screamed the headline on the page. Beneath that incendiary headline was a picture of Luna, her sister, looking despondent as she sat on the Lunar throne and wearing a bridle, of all things. Celestia touched a hoof to the bridle attached to her own head. Could they be linked in some way? Was Luna being forced to cooperate somehow? Celestia read the article below for clues.
Since the mysterious disappearance of the Solar Diarch a week ago, Princess Luna has been suspiciously closed mouthed regarding where her sister may be. The only clues to date have been the appointment of a mysterious Council of Regents and the wearing of a bridle by the Princess Luna. When asked for comment by this reporter, Princess Luna had the following to say:
“My sister has been felled by a grievous illness and is currently being cared for by the best possible team of ponies. It is my hope that my sister will soon be restored to health and to her throne, but until then I shall wear this bridle to demonstrate that I serve the ponies of Equestria. When my sister returns I shall hand the reins of power over to her and gladly allow her to sit in judgement of my actions.
Celestia spun her head toward Cuddles, wincing as her mane caught in the brush just being worked into her mane, saying, “You have to let me go. They think I’m dead, Equestria’s enemies will flock to attack, the kingdom is vulnerable.” Mistress Cuddles, however, was undeterred.
“You gave me your word, Celestia,” Cuddles said in a firm voice, then she softened her tone slightly. “Besides, you haven’t read the byline yet.”
“The byline?” Celestia asked, whipping her head back around and searching for the name of the pony who had written the article. She found it, seconds later. The article had been written by Sharp Quill, a notorious “yellow journalist” who usually worked the gossip columns and had been nearly fired more than once from the Canterlot Chronicle. “Oh,” Celestia said, chastened, as she realized that the reporter pony’s sensationalism was on full display in the article they had written.
“Princess, this is part of your illness,” Mistress Cuddles said, pausing as she pulled the broken halves of her brush free of Celestia’s mane. “You are convinced that only you can protect Equestria, that only you have the power, the knowledge, and ultimately, the responsibility to protect the kingdom. Are you really that vain?” The words cut deeply into Celestia, deeper than they should have.
“I am not vain,” Celestia said, a little hotly, staring straight ahead and refusing to look back at Cuddles.
“Well, physically I can believe it,” Mistress Cuddles said, in a tone that blended condescension and pity in equal amounts. “When was the last time you let somepony brush out your mane for you? This is...Rarity would already be on her fainting couch if she saw this.”
Celestia wound back her memory, trying to pin down when the last time had been that she had allowed somepony to brush her mane, instead of either doing a quick surface brush or hiding the mess with the etherealness her mane took on normally. It had been…could it really be that long? To hide her surprise at the memory Celestia decided to ask a question.
“Seeing as I am being obedient to your commands,” Celestia began, turning her head slightly back towards Cuddles, “would it be possible for you to remove this bridle you’ve attached to me.”
“No,” Cuddles said bluntly and then spoke to one of the guards as she tossed down her brush in disgust. “Sand Storms, could you please find Dark Passage and ask her to bring me my ‘Discord’ case.”
“Could you at least tell me why I have to wear it?” Celestia asked. “It doesn’t have anything to do with the one Luna is wearing, does it?” Celestia laid the newspaper on the floor in front of her and began avidly scanning the headlines and articles, saving an in-depth reading for later.
“I will tell you, Princess, if you are willing to make another bargain with me?” Mistress Cuddles asked. Celestia paused at the hoofball scores.
“What do you want from me this time?” Celestia asked, a sarcastic edge to her voice. “My crown? My throne?” Cuddles let out a silvery laugh that tinkled amidst the branches of the tree. In the growing light Celestia saw a blue earth pony, with a night black mane come around the trunk of that tree with a large case in her mouth. She deposited the case beside the yellow bat pony without a word, departing as silently as she had come.
“Let’s see, Princess,” Mistress Cuddles said, as she opened the case and began pulling out numerous brushing implements. “In exchange for telling you the nature of your bridle, you will let me brush out and braid your mane for you each morning that you are here.” Putting words into action, Cuddles began to work out the knots in Celestia’s mane, the gentle tugging acting as a nice head massage.
Celestia thought about the consequences but mentally shrugged. Having her mane brushed felt good, it felt relaxing. She knew there had to be a catch in this somewhere, but for the life of her she couldn’t parse one out.
“Deal,” Celestia said, finally. “Other than chaining me here, I can’t say that you’ve done me any harm.” Cuddles managed to clear a section of mane of knots and moved on to the next.
“Of course we haven’t,” Mistress Cuddles said. “Now then, as to your bridle. It has several enchanted gems attached to it, most of which are there to show your moods and feelings. It is, for example, how I knew you were going to attack yesterday. The gem for anger lit up like a flare just before you launched yourself at me. But the main gem we are concerned with is the black one you will find in the center of the headband. When it becomes clear, then we will know you are cured and we can release you.” Cuddles had over half of Celestia’s mane clear of knots and snarls now.
“Wait, you actually do intend to release me?” Celestia said, putting the paper aside and laying her head down on her forelegs. The constant scalp massage the brushing was providing her was threatening to put her back to sleep and it felt good to lay her head down. Unseen, Mistress Cuddles smiled as she saw Celestia begin to surrender to the contentment of the care being given to her mane. She had the entire mass untangled now, as the enchanted brushes Fluttershy used on Discord proved their worth, yet again.
“Of course we do, Princess,” Cuddles said, beginning a series of long slow strokes through Celestia’s mane, making sure the nubs of her brush massaged Celestia’s head as she did so. The solar diarch’s eyes began to close a little more with each stroke, and as Mistress Cuddles reached the one hundredth stroke, a soft purring snore began to emanate from the princess.
“Let her sleep, gentlestallions,” Cuddles said to Sand Storms and Damned Age as she drew a comforter over the sleeping alicorn. “But stay with her and alert me as she wakes.” The two shadowbolts nodded in quiet unison and as Mistress Cuddles left on soft steps, quiet birdsong began to replace the sounds of conversation.
A few hours later, Celestia felt herself drifting back up through the layers of full sleep toward consciousness. She was enveloped in a soft comforting warmth and as she began to become aware of her surroundings the happy chirps of birds reached her ears. Celestia cracked open her eyes and she took in the sight of several small songbirds flitting back and forth over the nearby table. Realizing she was laying on her side, Celestia rolled upright, hearing a slight tinkling sound as she did so.
“Hello Princess, “ Sand Storms said, his head popping up from behind the far side of the table. “Did you have a good nap?” He placed a bowl filled with birdseed on the table, and it was swarmed by small birds who showed no fear of the darkly clad pegasus.
“Yes, I did,” Celestia said, yawning slightly, and she heard the tinkling sound again as her head moved. “Why did I sleep again? Is the anti-magic drug you’re feeding me supposed to do that?” She swung her head back and forth a bit, renewed soft metal tinkling confirming the sounds were definitely coming from her head or head motions.
“We asked the Mistress about that,” Damned Age said, carrying in a tray of steaming cups as he did. “It’s the after-effects of your initial sedation, so you may find yourself falling asleep very easily for the next few days. Also, you are a very tired pony. By the way, do you like what we did with your mane?” Understanding of the source of the tinkling sound filled Celestia’s mind, and she pulled her mane around to have a look at it.
It had been fully brushed out, the mane's long straight hairs having been woven into a series of complex braids that showed off their colours. Also, a series of long, thin gold chains had been intertwined with the braids and a series of tiny gems, charms and bells hung from the chains, accenting the colours of her mane and filling her movements with gentle sound. Celestia flicked her tail to curl around her, and noted that it too had been braided and had similar accents woven into it.
“So, I’m a chained mare, am I?” Celestia said, cocking a wry eyebrow at Damned. Celestia smiled a bit as the “evil” pegasus blushed slightly and she saw him take a deep breath to control himself.
“Well, we thought seeing as you probably won’t be doing anything strenuous today, that you might appreciate something a little pretty,” Sand Storms said, putting the bird feed away into a small cart. “We can take them out if you would prefer, it’s not a problem.” Celestia thought a bit on that. If they were offering to take the accents out, then they likely were not part of the shackles and harness that kept her prisoner, even if they did match aesthetically.
Besides, Celestia thought, It’s been awhile since I wore something just to feel pretty and these make me feel young, and a little giddy. I’d better be careful about that. Aloud she said, “No, you can leave them in. So, what is actually planned for me now? Back to my cell?” Damned and Sand both laughed at that.
“You gave your word not to try to escape or to try to hurt anypony,” Damned said, his ears perking up. “If you want to go back to your room, we can. But we were planning on taking you to the library, then lunch, and then maybe some cards.”
“So, let me get this straight,” Celestia said, her light mood making her feel a little reckless. “I’m wearing a bridle. I’m harnessed, shackled and without magic. I likely know more about what a mare can do with a pair of stallions then you’ve probably ever dreamed of in your wildest fantasies, and all you want to do is take me to a library and play some cards later?” Celestia lifted an eyebrow and smirked a bit at Sand Storms as she spoke. The younger pegasus blushed, but his older partner just snickered.
“Like I said earlier, Ma’am,” Damned Age said, with an answering smirk. “It would be an absolute joy to provide that service for you, or anything else along those lines. Can you imagine what it would be like, with you on the bed and your wings stretched out and lying flat, Sand and I on either side of you, with our muzzles busily preening those glorious ivory expanses of yours?”
Celestia's wings didn’t quite explode into an upraised display position as her mind painted the picture for her, but it was near enough that Damned Age was able to give a hearty chuckle at her reaction. His partner, Sand, just muttered darkly while turning away and both Celestia and Damned saw the younger pony trying to fight down his reaction.
“Why Sand,” Damned said, teasingly. “I thought Luna was the pony for you. Something about ‘that glorious lunar plot,’ or some such.” The teasing did the job and Sand was able to lock his wings down into the furled position.
“Luna is, I swear!” Sand said in his own defense, then gulped when he remembered who he had just admitted that in front of. Taking in a deep breath through his nose, he turned back to face Celestia with a sheepish look on his face, knowing he was going to hear about that later.
“C’mon, Princess, let us show you around,” Sand Storms said, stilling his face, once again calm and professional. Celestia smiled and nodded, feeling lighter than she had in some time, as her escort began to show her around.
That evening Celestia and Cuddles sat down to a sumptuous dinner together, accompanied by a pair of mares in shadowbolt uniforms who gave their names as Disunity and Moons Cheek, unicorns both. Cream of leek soup, mushroom risotto, and eggplant parmesan highlighted the meal, which was capped with a dessert of vanilla ice cream topped with a mango flambe. A crisp chardonneigh complimented the meal perfectly, and Celestia leaned back in her chair with a contented sigh.
“Was the food to your liking, your Highness?” Mistress Cuddles asked. The batpony mare wore black flowing robes along with a black lace choker holding a faceted topaz. Combined with her colouring and fangs, the jewelry and outfit lent her an exotic, mysterious appearance combining equal parts allure and danger.
“To be honest, Mistress Cuddles,” Celestia said, swirling the last of her wine around in the glass, “I really can’t remember the last time I was able to sit down and simply enjoy a meal like this, just for the flavours of the food.”
“Thank you, we have a wonderful chef here,” Cuddles said, pausing to sip on some applejack, her drink of choice. “Princess, may I ask you a question?” Celestia gave a small, rueful laugh and held up a foreleg so that the golden shackle fastened there could glint in the candlelight.
“Lest we forget, I am your prisoner,” Celestia said, less humour in her voice now. “The bars may be padded and the cage gilded, but I am a captive, so by all means, ask your question.”
“You seem to have benefited overall from the bargains we have struck today,” Mistress Cuddles said, with that slightly superior smile that Celestia had come to know. “Would you like to strike one more bargain, before the day is out?’
“Your bargains have been very reasonable up until now,” Celestia replied, leaning forward. “What’s your offer?
“I will tell you the nature of your shackles and the harness,” Cuddles said, slamming back the last of her drink. “In return, for the rest of your time under my care, you will use our gym and running track to have a supervised workout every day. Followed by a soak in the hotsprings we have down in the lower levels, after which you will allow me to curry you.” Celestia blinked.
“You are asking me… no, you are forcing me, to have a daily workout followed by a grooming session?” Celestia asked, surprise in her voice. Things were beginning to add up in her mind, but Celestia refused to believe the conclusion she was seeing.
“Princess,” Cuddles said, reading the alicorn’s turmoil via the enchanted bridle, “you have some of the worst muscle tone Fluttershy has seen in a long time. As long as you are mine, I’m going to change that. And if you wind up keeling over from exhaustion, that is a sacrifice I am prepared to make.” The pseudo threat put Celestia back on balance again.
“Very well, I agree,” Celestia replied. “But with one extra condition. I want you to tell me what exactly is going on here. None of this adds up, at least not in a way I’m willing to believe. Tell me why you are doing all this and I’ll… I’ll do whatever you ask from here on out.”
“As you said, Princess,” Mistress Cuddles said, “You aren’t willing to believe it...yet. I will tell you at dinner, day after tomorrow, if you haven’t figured it out by then.” Celestia frowned but nodded.
“All right,” the solar princess said, frowning a bit as she looked down at the harness locked to her body. “What exactly have you put on me that is capable of holding an alicorn?”
“They are called ‘inertial shackles’,” Mistress Cuddles began.
Two days later Celestia was getting ready for dinner again with Mistress Cuddles. Sand Storms and Damned Age waited nearby, patiently watching her, and Celestia could feel their approving looks on her. She had been an exemplary captive over the past couple of days, obeying without question any requests put to her and Celestia tried to fit everything together. For the past three days, she had been fed, groomed and pampered more than she had been in the past three centuries. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that she was a prisoner and all of this was being forced on her, this would be one of the most pleasant periods of her life in recent memory. That thought made Celestia pause and she ran it through her mind again.
If this wasn’t being forced on me..., Celestia thought, and then paused as her rejuvenated mind began to race. By the light, that’s it. I’m being forced to rest, being forced into pampering, and be taken care of. Images flashed through from Celestia’s memories. Kibitz nudging her, asking her if he could help her in any way. Luna begging her to take a few days off. Friends and companions over the last hundred years or so, asking her to take a break, to rest. Celestia realized what Mistress Cuddles had meant when she had said that she had become what Celestia needed.
That realization led to another, and then another. Celestia kept following the train of logic until she reached its end and her eyes went wide as she reached the ultimate conclusion. A conclusion she could no longer ignore or deny. Sand and Damned had been watching her the whole time, watching the play of emotions across her face and over her bridle. The two stallions were standing at attention as Celestia looked up at them urgently and Sand already had her room’s door open as Celestia pivoted and ran out the door.
It took the alicorn barely a minute to make the run to the glade and dinner was just being set up. Mistress Cuddles looked up from her work, saw Celestia, and for the first time gave a smile that truly made her look like Fluttershy. Celestia skidded to a stop, just inside the glade, with Sand and Damned hot on her hooves.
“Hello, Mistress Cuddles. For the past few days, you’ve been saying I’m sick and I think I’ve finally figured out what the disease is...”