//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: The Price Of Being A Princess // by TheOneAJ //------------------------------// Later that evening, there was a knock on the door. I had mostly tired myself up and was just laying on my bed, killing the time with a cheap romance novel. Not caring anymore for it’s paper thin protagonist, I threw it to the side of the room. “Come in.” I spoke softly. Expecting Celestia, I found her trusted aid, Raven, step into my room. Rolling my eyes, I said, “Yes? Can I help you?” The mare, in all her aged glory, wheeled in a chart. “Your aunt wished to make sure you had a proper meal.” I clicked my tounge. “So what? I’m confined to my room to my grounding.?” “She’s informed us it’s only to be to the castle grounds save for school hours, your highness.” She wheeled forward the tray. “we just weren't sure if you wanted to leave the school after today.” I smiled at the food before me. Which happened to be my favorite. Grilled tomato cheese and cream of celery soup. “Least someone get’s me.” I noticed raven shuffling her hoof. “That being said,” she levitated up a parchment. “the princess has also decreed the rest of your punishment.” She straightened her glasses. “For now, and until the princess believes you have learned your lesson, you are to be confined to the castle grounds. No visitors or friends without your aunts approval, and nothing more than your required class time at school.” I nearly brushed that off, until I realized that would also mean, in all likeliness since the punishment was only ‘indefinite’ that it would mean I wasn’t going to the dance next week. “That all?” I asked sarcastically at my woes. “Not quite.” As annoyed as I should have been, I realized what ever additional punishment might ease my guilt a bit. Perhaps whatever chores she assigned me, I could find a way to do a hundred and twenty percent job so I could lift my grounding in time for the dance. Or at the very least make up for my poor behavior back in the throne room. I might have been a brat, shame to say, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed over burdening my aunt. Raven continued on reading the parchment. “So as to make up to the ‘heroic and kind Shining Armor,” my skin crawled at those words I used, “since your actions had also put him into detention for the next week, I had learned through his father who happens to be in the guard, that they are now in need for a foalsitter for their youngest daughter. As such, in addition to your grounding, you shall be assigned to foalsitting, for free, until one Shining Armor’s detention sentence is complete.” “Let me see that!” I said, taking the note out of her magical grasp. Before I read, I blinked and sheepishly apologized. “Sorry.” She smiled and nodded. “It’s alright then, princess.” Relieved, I looked over the note Raven had just read. “Huh… babysitting?..” ‘I suppose there are worse punishments. How hard could keep an eye on a foal for a week? I’ll be back in auntie’s good grace in a day!’ “Are you alright, Cadence?” I heard Raven ask. Without Looking away from the note, I answered, “Yes of course.” “I mean with everything that happened today? You need to talk about it?” I lowered the note. This was the first time somepony had shown me any empathy today next to Shining Armor. However, as much as I wanted to vent about the whole ordeal, looking to Raven, I found myself not in the mood. “Not right now.” I sighed. “I think I’d rather just go to bed.” Raven nodded. “Of course. But if you need me, you know where to find me.” I gave her a smile as she exited the room. Leaving me all alone as the last rays of sunlight slipped past my blind and my meal. I sighed in content after realizing I hadn’t had any lunch. ***** I sat at one of the school cafeteria tables, waiting for her friends. I wasn't sure what was taking them so long, they could be so incesiderant. Still, if they wanted to gossip behind— There was a long, deep, drawn out breath coming from the back of my neck. My wings flared up as she turned around, to see a massive colt looking down at her. His eye’s were a bright red, his teeth sharp. He glared at Cadence, lifted his hoof, brought it down on her— ***** My eye’s shot open. Once awake, I sprang up from her bed and ran a hoof over my chest. Sure i hadn’t just been attacked again, I started to laugh. “Nightmares, of course.” my laughter turned a bit more sadistic. Although I did my best not to be too loud and raise any false alarms Looking to my wall clock, I it was only 2:30 in the morning. Hours before I had to be up for school. Worst of all, I wasn’t in a hurry to go back to sleep. Not that I doubted I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again. Edventually. However, it wasn’t something I was eager to do after that dream. So instead, I leaned against my headboard, and did what I liked to do when i had nothing better to do but trying to get some sleep; Think about colts. Cliched, sure, but if it worked when I needed something to think of I wasn’t going to complain. Naturally, my first thoughts drifted to Buck. However, as I started to think about his muscular body, his smooth chin, I also remembered his look of concern as he ran away. ‘No!” I tried to tell myself. ‘There was a crazed colt trying to kill me. He had to make sure he didn’t… hurt himself. Wouldn’t be good for the school if he... broke anything for me... I blew a bit of mane out of my face. “Some prince charming.” I snorted. As I thought about this, my mind began to rhymed with charming. Baring, warning, snoring (not that I was the best, but it was my mind drifting) until I reached... shining. Then, she started to think of Shining Armor, and started to smile. The way he came between me and— I blinked several times and shook my head. Shining Armor, really? Then again… he was the only colt who even bothered to help me. “Also,” Imused to myself, “for a looser, I suppose he’s not ‘that’ bad looking if I say so myself.” Perhaps could have even fit in with my group of friends if he kept his mane better and wasn’t such a snitch. Of course, once Buck threw himself on his knees to beg for my forgiveness at abaondong me, naturally, my feelings would go back to him as they should be. Still, I thought with a stretch. Until then, what would be the harm at fantasizing just a bit about Shinng Armor? I’m sure any colt would kill to know a princess was dreaming about him. And so, I did. At first I simply daydreamed about him being my hero, until I feel asleep. To which, I had an actual dream about him dancing with me...