Just a week later, Midnight Blossom was walking down one of Canterlot Castle’s many wide, lavishly decorated hallways. The sweet aroma from the flowers in the wall sconces, the soft rug beneath her hooves, the guards marching up and down the corridors. She had to keep reminding herself that she was indeed awake and not in one of Princess Luna’s pleasant dreams.
Speaking of Luna, the Princess of the Night had taken the time out of her schedule - at this time of day, she was mostly booked up with ‘Sleep’ - to give Midnight a brief tour of her new workplace. Midnight tried to ignore how much Luna’s round flanks wobbled and bounced in her stride in front of the new royal taste tester.
“This is the royal dining room,” Luna said, pushing a door open to show a room populated by a dining table that left Midnight somewhat surprised. She was expecting a grand table with two dozen chairs on both sides, but this was a regular table that looked no bigger than one you would find on Restaurant Row. A chair sat on each side, one with purple cushions, the other red. A bowl of fresh fruit was square in the middle.
“A personal dining room?” Midnight guessed, quickly assuming who the chair belonged to.
Luna nodded. “Correct. The royal dining room is much more compact than the public one we would use for social functions, because we enjoy the privacy. And it is rather difficult to make conversation across a table sided by four dozen chairs.”
Midnight nodded slowly. “I can understand that. So I’m gonna be working in here?”
Another nod, then Luna pointed to another set of double doors. “For the most part, yes. We have a personal kitchen through there. My sister and I do not like to be kept waiting too long for our meals; it is quite a walk up here from the downstairs kitchen and Celestia does not like to be kept waiting for her pancakes. Plus she enjoys the occasional cooking lesson.”
The bat pony tilted her head at Luna’s aside glance, and at how she’d added the last part a little quietly. She couldn’t help but wonder, was she hiding something? No, of course not. What would a Princess have to hide?
“But back on topic,” the alicorn said, catching Midnight’s attention again, “you shall mostly be working either in here or in the kitchen there. Your duty is simply to make sure our meals are prepared to the highest standard.”
“You don’t trust your chefs?”
“Of course we do, but mistakes can happen. And if Celestia’s breakfast is missing a single grain of sugar, she will not be happy. Believe me, she notices. She’d had one particularly bad night’s sleep and...well, I do not envy that ex-chef’s fate.”
Midnight gulped. “What happened to them…?”
“You do not want to know,” Luna muttered. “You should be okay, though. You strike me as quite an astute young mare.”
Midnight grinned and raised her chin with pride. “I won’t let you down, Your Majesty.”
A gentle smile from the Princess. “I know you won’t, Midnight Blossom.”
A bright flash filled the room for a moment, and at the door leading from the hallway stood a slender white alicorn, standing taller than Luna and her rainbow-like mane waving with pure magic. Midnight recognised her right away as she looked at Luna.
“Oh mother of me, I thought I’d never get out of there in time for lunch,” said Celestia, in a casual tone Midnight had never heard her use before. “I wasn’t even looking at the ordinances I was signing, but I’ll worry about that later.”
“The joys of handling the day-to-day life of the kingdom,” Luna snarked with a playful smirk, then nodded toward the bat pony. “Sister, this is Midnight Blossom, my new taste tester.”
“Oh, how wonderful to meet you,” Celestia greeted her in that familiar, motherly voice. “Um, are you alright? Let me help you.”
Midnight felt magic wrap around her body, and her front legs lifted up so she was back on her hooves. Her cheeks burned. “I was bowing, Your Majesty.”
“Oh, my mistake,” Celestia chuckled, “I thought you’d fallen over somehow.”
Midnight’s face flushed redder, and looked toward the kitchen doors as one them opened. A unicorn mare poked her head out.
“Oh, Princess Celestia,” she said, “your lunch is ready.”
“Splendid!” The taller mare smiled eagerly and looked to Midnight, then her sister. “Luna, would you mind if I borrowed your taste tester for a few minutes? Mine isn’t here yet.”
“Very well then,” Luna agreed, and yawned into her hoof. “I must retire to my chambers, I’m sure you understand. And I’m sure my new taste tester won’t mind.”
Midnight’s eyes widened. She was already getting her first assignment? She looked to Luna, who was giving her an expectant stare. “I don’t mind at all.”
Celestia’s smile was as warm as the sun she rose at dawn. “Wonderful. Now, let’s see what we’re having today.”
Luna walked out to the hallway, and Midnight followed Celestia into the kitchen. The moment she walked into the grey-white room, the smell of toast and cheese filled the air, making her belly rumble.
“Sound like you could use some lunch too,” Celestia chuckled, leaving Midnight to shy away a little. “Not to worry, I’m sure the chefs made plenty for both of us.”
The chef mare from earlier used her magic to hover a small stack of triangle-cut grilled cheese sandwiches toward the alicorn. “As requested.”
“Thank you very much,” she said, and floated one of them to the bat pony. “Now, let’s have a verdict.”
Midnight tilted her head as she held the sandwich in her hoof. She was expecting something more...regal, like caviar or something. Though, she did like grilled cheese so she didn’t complain.
She took a bite. Her eyes widened, mind blanked, jaw dropped. She took another, larger bite, just to be sure. Then another, just in case. Maybe one more, for good measure. It was the most common and easy-to-make meal in the world, but somehow this was the best one she’d ever had in a long time!
Before she knew it, she was staring at her hoof, empty save for a few crumbs. She licked her lips without thinking.
Celestia giggled into her hoof. “I think that’s a good sign.”
Midnight bit her lip. She had to be a professional and prove she was here to work, not stuff her face. “Um, the bread was toasted to perfection. A perfect blend of soft but crunchy. The cheese was nicely melted, and the hints of spices made the taste really stand out. Not too hot either.”
Celestia took a bite herself, and nodded. “I have to agree. Luna certainly picked a good taste tester.”
Midnight blushed with a sweet smile, which only grew into a grin as Celestia floated more sandwiches to her. She wasted no time thanking her and cramming the first into her mouth.
This may not have been the job she had in mind at first, but she was certain she was going to like it.