//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Price Of Being A Princess // by TheOneAJ //------------------------------// I shot up from her seat when my aunt walked in. The door slamming open, her regal presence radiating, leaving ponies out in the hall gawking before she closed the door and glanced at me. It wasn’t long, but it made my skin go numb. She then closed her eyes and walked to the dean's office. Closing the door, so gently, I might not have heard it if there were any other sounds in the room. Then, I heard the muffels of auntie Celestia and the dean talking. I tried my best to listen in, but the most I had gathered from their conversation was recapping what had happen in the Cafeteria, Billy, myself, and something about Shining Armor… Babysitting? Someone, then something about me, then they stopped talking. A moment of silence, before I heard Celestia lift from her seat. She thanked the dean, and started to make her way out. I backed up to try and looked like I hadn’t been trying to eavesdrop as quickly as I could. If my aunt had know I was doing so when she left the office, she didn’t react as such. Instead, she simply walked ahead, mouthing to me, “Let’s go, Cadence.” Somehow, she had picked the worst words to say to me. I’m not sure why I was so nervous. None of this was my fault. Billy had attacked me. And from the way he left looked at me, those demonic eyes that still pierced my soul, I sure he would have killed me if it hadn’t been for Shining Armor stepping in. If anything, I was the victim here. I should be the one who gets the most slack. So why did I feel so guilty as auntie Celestia, walked me home in silence? ***** What felt like the longest Chariot ride of my life, we had arrived at Canterlot Castle. The tall towers seemingly looking down at me from their intimidating heights. Then, as if I had no control of my hooves, I obediently followed my aunt into the throne room. Once inside, she instructed the guards to leave us be. They looked to each other, but hurried away when my aunt asked them again to leave. This time, with a bit more bite in her voice. Not enough to be called shouting, but enough to make the room feel must more constricting. Once they were gone, she sat me in front of the throne, and took her seat. Then, we sat in silence. Long, silence. More because I half expected her to say something first. Something I felt like I needed from the moment she came to pick me up. At this point, I almost could have dealt with being ground if she had just said something. Anything! If I meant I could just put this day behind me and then— “Well?” she finally spoke. I blinked. “wh… what?” I muttered back. Celestia took in a breath. “I was told you had a… rather eventful day. Told from many other ponies, but I suppose it’s time I hear from you what happened now.” I wasn’t sure what to make of that. But, if she wanted me to tell my side of the story, I would tell her my side of the story. So I did. I told her about Billy bumping me in line. Getting food all over me, and not even having the nerve to apologize, as if he had done so on purpose! I admitted to yelling at him, and then how he charged at me. I put a little extra emphasis on how Shining Armor saved me (if no more out of guilt to get him out of the detention he didn’t deserve) and then ended my story. “You left out the part where you sprayed him with a soda.” Celestia added as soon as I finished. Shit! So I did. I chuckled nervously. “Okay,” my ears dropped, “so maybe I did a bit more than yell at him to worked him up.” I shook my head. “but he tried to kill me!” “I am not saying the colt wasn’t in the wrong, Cadence,” Celestia said coldly, “but how would you justify your own actions?” I blinked. “My… My actions?!” “Yes, niece,” Celestia retorted. “somepony knocked over your food, and you felt your best actions were to yell, then assaulted him with your own food afterwards. Tell me, if I was talking to some foreign diplomats, and one of them accidentally spilled some tea on me, only for me to yell and dump a whole teapot on them, would that make my actions right?” I wanted to answer right away that she’d be in the right to be angry, but held off… “No,” I answered. “It… it wouldn’t—“ “Reflect well on my?” she sat up. “Then there would be consequences. Just like their will be consequences for you.” My pupils shrank. I was going to get punished? “Wha… But, I!…” I slammed my hoof. “I’m going to get grounded after that retard almost killed me?” I knew what I said was wrong, but I didn’t care. That was, until I looked up at my aunt. Still angry, but now, she looked a bit… broken? Would that be it? She sat forward, face blank, but I felt as if the room had gotten much hotter in those few seconds after I had spoken. Either way, she looked at me for only a bit, then turned around. “yes. You are grounded, indefinitely, until I say so.” I wished she had yelled that at me. It might have made the pain in my stomach lessen. “I will assign you a proper punishment later.” My mouth opened and closed, trying to find the right words. How dare she ground me after what I had been through? How dare she just… Just ignore me? Just— “I really hope you can grow from this into the princess I know you can be.” She added. Cutting off my ramblings with another cold dagger into my side. Face feeling wet, I stomped off to my room. Past the guards, who parted in waves, and into my room, where I let my magic slam the door shut. Once alone, I took several heavy breaths, before throwing myself onto my bed. Where I either cried, cursed whoever came to my mind, and slammed my hooves into the bed.