//------------------------------// // Conspiracy // Story: Castle Life // by Ravenmane //------------------------------// Respect from a critic is hard to receive, even more so when they were skeptical about you to begin with. By the time I woke in the late afternoon, I felt far better than in the morning, but that feeling was still there. I couldn’t truly place it anymore, was it joy of a job well done? Could it have been her acceptance? Perhaps it was what I could fool myself into the most though. One of the most powerful people in the land, my harshest critic, saw that I had a place in her country. Whatever the real reason, I needed to look far better than in the morning. After a soothing bath, courtesy of the bathroom across the hall, I returned to find a scroll and fresh change of clothes waiting for me. As I dressed, I opened the scroll and read it silently. Dear Princess Celestia, My friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your “cover” is; It's the contents of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle “Curious,” I said as I slipped my shirt on. “I think so too” came Princess Celestia’s soothing voice from the doorway. “I looked over your work while you were out and I remembered this letter from Twilight Sparkle. I thought I’d share this lesson with you.” “It hits a little close to home, exceedingly close, not a whole lot of people knew who I really was. All they ever knew was the façade I showed them. A charming businessman, a skilled thief, a forger, even,” I bit my lip, “a boyfriend. Are there more of these?” “Several, but I think I could’ve learned this lesson a little more like Twilight and her friends. When my sister told me that you were a criminal, I jumped to conclusions and thought that she wanted to hide you away from your pursuers. What she tried to tell me was that she had seen and heard you in her dreams and that it probably wouldn’t stop until you no longer piqued her subconscious’ curiosity.” “I do owe her for stealing me from my pursuers, but I think it might be more than merely curiosity that brought me here. Perhaps it was fate?” “I think I have a solution for you Zachary, how we can disguise the missing magical touch.” “Convince them to actually sign it,” I asked, hopeful of the best solution. “No, acceptance letters were mailed out two days ago. If my magic is coating it then Prince Blueblood will think that I was trying to dispute the letter myself.” I couldn’t help but let my lips curl into a wicked smile. “You certainly have a mean streak in you Princess.” “He’s been a thorn in everypony’s side for far too long.” “Aside from being insufferable in general, what’s he like?” “A yearly event called the Grand Galloping Gala that happened a few years ago was, in his opinion, ruined. He took it as a personal affront and has been asking incessantly for me to do something about the town where the troublemakers come from.” “But you’ve refused and avoided him for as long as you can right?” “Yes and I’ve done nearly everything I can think of to make him stop.” “Have you tried taking away his title or his wealth?” “I’d never hear the end of it from his mother, and if you can believe it, she’s worse than him.” The fact that there seemed to be someone worse than a prince who wanted a place ‘taken care of’ for one ruined evening made me cringe. I have standards and that crossed the line on so many levels. “There has to be someone who is as kind as he is spoiled. Please tell me there is.” “Yes there is, Shining Armor’s wife is nearly his polar opposite.” I recalled the resolute stallion, who seemed to keep a careful eye on me whenever he could spare the time. “And who is the lucky mare?” “Princes Mi Amore Cadenza, though she prefers Cadance.” “Well, ‘mi amore,’ if it’s like back home, means ‘my love’ in one of my favorite foreign languages to speak. If that’s the case then she would rather it said by someone closer.” “Is that your professional opinion?” I noticed her face had grown a sly grin, a telltale sign of her fishing for information. “I love what are called the romance languages, and just hearing them makes me melt a little inside.” Though I appreciated the praise, it wasn’t much compared to the rushing beat of my heart. “Back to my plan though.” “It sounds reasonable enough for me Prin-” she cut me off with a raised hoof. “When we’re alone Celestia will be fine.” “All right then Celestia. Would you, in turn, just call me Zack?” “If you insist,” she answered quickly. “You’ve done a very good job Zack; I’ll take care of it from here.” She levitated my completed work and the letter from her student to her side and left. As the door closed behind her I could still hear my heart throbbing. Now I had a better idea of what it meant. She was, in her own way, the greatest challenge, the greatest rush of my life. The greatest job of my criminal career had begun; I was ready to try to con myself. Lying to yourself is far simpler than this, I wasn’t trying to kid myself that this was something like a fake identity. This was me trying to tell myself that this wasn’t just a thing on the job. It was genuine, unbridled affection. The normally calm and even strides of the solar princess had been replaced with a canter that could be defined only as ecstatic. She maintained a concerned look on her face as she looked like she was busy examining the forgery. He may have been a criminal, but there was a certain artistry in the false watermark and elegant penmanship that was normally found with the most steady magic control. “‘Tia,” called Luna as she rushed to her sister’s side, “Is that what I think it is?” “Yes,” she replied with a calm and even tone, “I’m finding that I can’t prevent this. I’ll have to comply with the academy for once.” “That means that,” the younger sister trailed off as she caught on. “Yes, Prince Blueblood will have to attend the academy starting as soon as he receives this letter.” “Princess Celestia,” said Aureus during breakfast the next morning, “Prince Blueblood wishes to see you as soon as possible regarding something. He erm… he wasn’t very specific about why.” “I suggest you aren’t late for what he has to say your highness,” I said with a brief nod. I had found a note on my desk in the morning to join Celestia for breakfast. Celestia looked over to me and simply smiled. “Thank you Zachary, make sure he doesn’t see you.” I did my best to restrain a chuckle. “Well, my skills are deteriorating quickly. I would hope my ability to vanish is still there.” I rose from my seat and slipped around to her side. “Straight face Celestia,” I whispered in her ear. “I know,” she whispered back. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to lie to him.” I wanted an excuse, I thought, but I think I’ll refrain from telling her for now. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ve loved every woman I’ve ever dated, even the ones I had to lie to about everything.