The morning passed slowly for Coco. She thought about unpacking her sewing supplies, which were still tucked carefully away in her saddlebags. But she knew she wouldn’t be staying long. Also, in her current state she was liable to spill sequins all over the clean floor or drop a needle in the bed. Best to just wait it out.
The world moved slowly outside the window. Compared to the frenetic pace of Manehattan, it seems like time was swimming through molasses. Under normal circumstances she’d appreciate the extra time, but it wasn’t doing much to help with the boredom.
Instead, Coco started thinking about the designs she was going to make for Cadance. The Crystal ponies presented an interesting challenge for a fashion designer: Their slight translucency meant clothes had to not just look good from the outside, but on the inside as well. Rarity would never have forgotten a detail like that, and Coco was proud of herself for thinking of it as well. But what colours to pick? The Crystal Guards didn’t have the identical white look that Royal Guards did, so she’d have to pick the colours out very carefully.
She had just about convinced herself to get out her sketchbook and a couple of swatches when there was a quiet knock at her door.
“C-come in?”
For a brief moment, Coco was terrified it would be the Princess walking through the door, demanding to know what she was doing here. Or worse, Rarity would somehow have already discovered out what had happened and was going to fire her. Or congratulate her. At this point Coco wasn’t sure what would be worse.
Fortunately, no improbable mares stepped through the door. Instead, an excited Sapphire cantered in.
“Hey Coco! I just finished cleaning up the lounge and I thought I’d come check on you. How are you doing?”
“Um, pretty well I think? Do I look presentable enough for the Princess? I’ve never met one before. Well, except Twilight. But she doesn’t like being called a princess.”
“Wait, you know Twilight Sparkle?”
Coco nodded. “Not well, I guess? But we’ve met a few times.”
She almost continued with “And her friend Rarity is my boss,” but she realised that would probably lead to too many questions.
This simple misunderstanding was rapidly spiraling out of control, Coco was starting to have trouble keeping track of what was even going on.
She hadn’t told any outright lies, per se, but her very presence here was suspicious at best. What if everypony was angry with her? What if Cadance kicked her out of the Crystal Empire for good? Or sent her to a crystal dungeon! They probably had those, right?
“…You okay there?” Sapphire asked, looking concerned. “You look pretty worried.”
“A bit,” Coco admitted.
“Oh, you poor thing. You’re just nervous about meeting Cadance aren’t you? Well don’t worry. She’s super friendly!”
Coco just smiled. There was another lie-by-omission. She really ought to be keeping notes. At some point she was going to need to apologise to everypony, and at this rate the list would likely end up being the entire Crystal Empire.
“…and remember, you never have to do anything you don’t want to.” Sapphire was chattering away happily, and Coco hadn’t even really been paying attention.
Now she wasn’t just lying, she was being rude! She had to restrain herself from hiding under her hooves. When she had met Rarity’s friend Fluttershy, the pegasus had hidden behind her mane when she was anxious. Coco thought her bangs suited her, but they didn’t provide much in the way of escape.
Sapphire looked at her expectantly. She must’ve asked a question.
“Oh, I’m sorry Sapphire! I’m just a little bit stressed out right now.”
“Totally understandable. Do you wanna cuddle? That always helps me!”
Coco’s eyes widened. It seemed she hadn’t really internalised the idea of a harem yet; of course ponies would be affectionate here. Certainly Coco wasn’t the type of pony to judge that sort of thing! Given the context it was a perfectly reasonable request.
The question was whether she should accept. Coco hadn’t exactly done a lot of “cuddling.” Her attempts to find a coltfriend had been mostly unsuccessful. But here was a mare with an open offer, seemingly without strings attached.
Part of her was screaming to run as far as possible, that she’d be terrible at it, that everything would come unraveled faster than she could say “snug.” But she’d come this far, and when in Roam, right?
“Sure,” she found herself saying. “That sounds nice.”
Sapphire gave a huge grin then motioned to the bed with her muzzle, looking expectant. Coco was confused for a second until she realised it was a request. She nodded, and Sapphire hopped up gracefully, laying down with her legs under her.
Coco climbed clumsily onto the bed, hugging the edge nervously. How did you… go about this?
“Come on, don’t be shy!” Sapphire giggled.
She patted the spot next to her with a free hoof.
Coco was, in point of fact, very shy, and very much wished such an instruction was all it took to overcome it. But she managed to swallow enough of her anxiety to scooch over to Sapphire’s side of the bed.
Her bed, she reminded herself. She, for all intents and purposes, lived here right now, and oh wow was Sapphire soft.
“Soft” was her first, second, and third thought. “Warm” followed right behind. But then, overwhelmingly, she felt “safe.” Sapphire was right, she could feel her stress slowly melting away.
Almost unconsciously she reached over to nuzzle the other mare, who giggled again and nuzzled back. Suddenly her world was just soft and cuddly, blue and indigo. Sapphire was a walking anti anxiety spell, and Coco could scarcely think of anything else.
A hoof snaked across Coco’s barrel to pull her closer, and she was more than happy to oblige. She nestled into the other mare as close as she could manage, letting out a satisfied whinny. That got a giggle out of Sapphire. For once, though, Coco could tell it wasn’t just somepony laughing at her, and she managed to laugh along. Sapphire grinned, giving her another nuzzle, then rested her snout on Coco’s side. Coco felt a single playful tail flick, then Sapphire relaxed, laying over her like a wet noodle. Even though she hadn’t been up long, Coco couldn’t help but feel sleepy in Sapphire’s embrace. There was no doubt about it, the mare was good at what she did.
That made Coco think of what else Sapphire was probably good at, and she could feel her face flush. It was almost enough to bring the enormity of her situation back to her, but she found it hard to be worried. She yawned, eyelids drooping closed, muzzle coming to rest next to Sapphire’s. As the world faded, one thought drifted through, equally exciting and terrifying.
“I could get used to this.”
Coco awoke to a gentle nudging from Sapphire.
“Wake up, sleepyhead!”
Coco blinked wearily. “Wuzzat?”
Sapphire giggled again. Coco was really growing to like that giggle. “We gotta get up! The Princess will be here soon!”
Right, the Princess. Princess Cadance would be coming soon, and Coco could finally sort everything out, taking up her intended post as royal seamstress.
She could leave the harem and everything in it behind.
Everypony in it.
Somehow that seemed… a little bittersweet, now. But she was a fashion designer, not some sort of master snuggler like Sapphire. Her boss -- her friend! -- had sent her here to do a job, and by Celestia she was going to do it.
First she had to get out of bed, though, and Sapphire hadn’t grown any less soft or inviting. She yawned, stretching her forehooves and trying to summon the strength to stand up. She turned to Sapphire to ask her when they needed to get ready, and found the other mare staring at her, eyes wide.
“Is… Is there something on my face?”
Sapphire grinned. “No, sorry, it’s just... that yawn was just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Coco flushed, trying to hide her smile.
Sapphire reached over to nuzzle her, the warmth of her face adding to heat Coco was already feeling.
“C’mon, we’ve only got a few minutes before. Cadance gets here. You uh, may wanna brush your mane.”
Coco glanced in the mirror. Her normally razor-straight bob was in complete disarray.
She grimaced. “Sorry.”
“Oh, no, don’t worry about it! You’ve already impressed me. It’s Cadance you need to worry about.”
Sapphire hopped off the bed and headed for the door. As she opened it, she glanced back.
“Feeling any less nervous?”
Coco realised she had completely forgotten the impetus for their little pony pile in the first place. More importantly, though, she’d realised she’d forgotten to be anxious too. She knew she had a difficult conversation, both with Cadance and with Sapphire, but she wasn’t scared of it any more. Something about being in this place, surrounded by all these ponies, made her feel relaxed. She was certainly going to miss it.
Her hoof brush was still on the bathroom counter. She looked at herself in the mirror while carefully detangling the knots left by hel little nap. While she gently ran it through, she considered her own reflection. Sapphire had called her cute. Was she cute? She certainly put effort into her appearance. And she was, according to Rarity, a very fashionable mare. But was she cute? Would she have ever fit in amongst all these beautiful ponies?
It was a question for another time. Coco repacked what little she’d unpacked when Sapphire had come to check on her, stowing her saddle bags by the door. She considered just bringing them with her, but figured that would raise too many questions. Better to slip out quietly, when ponies wouldn’t be asking questions. She hoped she could see Sapphire again at least. The palace wasn’t that big, surely she’d run into her.
That probably meant she’d run into other ponies from here as well, then. That would be… uncomfortable, for sure. Maybe it’d be best not to stick around. But then she’d need to find new work, and Rarity would be so disappointed…
So much for not being nervous. Outside, she heard the bustle of ponies leaving their rooms, which probably meant that the Princess would be here soon. Coco took a deep breath and opened the door.
Coco had expected two dozen ponies all lined up in a row, standing at rapt attention. Perhaps she’d spent too much time in Canterlot watching the royal guard. Instead, everypony was just kind of lounging around, looking casual.
Though perhaps the emphasis was on the “looking.” Everypony was putting on a brave face, but the smiles were just a little bit nervous, the hooves just a little too still. It was clear everypony was nervous about Cadance’s visit. Coco didn’t really know much about how harems worked, but surely the ruler visiting would be a pretty regular occurrence, right?
It was just as well for her, though. Everyone else’s anxiety hid her own apprehension. This wasn’t going to be fun, or easy for her, and the time in the lounge let her compose her thoughts.
Not that she had any idea what she was actually going to say. “Hey, this is all a huge misunderstanding, I’m actually a tailor” seemed like it might cause more problems than it solved. Could one even directly address a Princess? Especially within her own castle?
Sapphire had taken up position on a couch next to Coco, close enough for Coco to whisper. “So, are we not supposed to speak until spoken to?”
“What? No! Cadance is just a pony, especially here. She doesn’t have any power over us.”
“How can she… that doesn’t make any sense.”
A minstrel outside played a quick note, and the doors began to open.
“She’s very friendly, you can just talk to her!”
“Then why is everyone so nervous?” Coco hissed.
And with that, Princess Mi Amor Cadenza, Ruler of the Crystal Empire and Princess of Love, stepped into her harem.
Coco’s jaw dropped.
“That’s why,” Sapphire smiled. “She’s the most beautiful pony in Equestria.”
And indeed she was. Her bountiful mane cascaded down past her withers, highlighting her long neck. Her elegant horn came to a fine point, longer than any unicorn Coco had ever seen. Her wings were astounding, even though they were folded neatly at her side. They were enormous, almost brushing against her tail. That wasn’t even to mention how she simply towered over everypony.
And even though she was completely breathtaking, she didn’t look smug, conceited, or bored. She smiled the sort of smile that made Coco instantly believe that every little thing would be alright. It seemed like she had that effect on everypony: the nervous jitters fading away like a pegasus kicking a cloud. Suddenly Coco was surrounded by matching smiles and what felt like reverence.
It was a good thing she hadn’t prepared a large speech, because she would’ve surely forgotten it by now. That was the effect of Cadance’s radiance.
Cadance paused at the door and whispered something to her guards. They stepped out and closed the door behind them. A pony Coco didn’t recognise approached her, holding a pillow. Cadance looked at it and smiled, her horn illuminating.
Coco gasped as Cadence's crown came off, followed by her golden shoes. She set them down gently on the pillow provided, then gave the pony carrying it a little peck on the cheek, causing her to blush profusely. Cadance shook her mane out, getting rid of what was probably terrible crown-mane. Then she flashed that dazzling smile again.
“Good morning, Everypony!” Cadance called.
A chorus of jubilant greetings answered back.
With that, the quiet of the room disappeared, and all the ponies in the lounge began talking amongst each other. Cadance approached a trio of stallions sitting near the door, nuzzling each of them in turn.
“See?” Sapphire smiled smugly from next to her. “Told you there was nothing to worry about.”
“I don’t understand. Why would she take off her crown?”
“It’s a new tradition. Things under Sombra were…” Sapphire frowned. “Not many from the old days are still around. But Cadance talked to them, and made sure she did this right. She wants us to treat her like any other pony.”
“Why would she want that? She’s a Princess.”
Sapphire sighed. “We really oughta do some kind orientation or something. Basically, if she was our Princess, and us her loyal subjects, it’d set up a kind of… uncomfortable dynamic. Relationships work best if both parties are on equal footings, even if it’s just for an afternoon of fun.”
Coco scrunched her muzzle in thought. “I… see.”
“Think of it this way. What if you were dating the Princess, and you decided you wanted to break it off?”
Coco gasped. “I could never!”
“And that’s exactly the problem. You’d be worried about retaliation, or loss of status, or any other things that keep you from having a relationship. That doesn’t benefit anypony, least of all her.”
Sapphire smiled over at the Princess, who had moved onto a couch containing a crystal pony and a pegasus, the former snuggled up under the latter’s wing. “She just wants to have fun with some cute ponies. Keeps us happy, keeps her happy, keeps the whole kingdom running smoothly.”
Coco realised, with a combination of glee and horror, that Cadance was heading their way . She remembered something Rarity had once said and quickly scraped into a bow.
“Come now, there’s no need for that.”
Oh my gosh, the Princess was talking to her! And she’d already done something wrong. She pinned her ears back and once again wished for longer bangs to hide her embarrassment.
“I’m sorry, Princess! I didn’t mean to…”
“Coco, what did I just say?” Sapphire interjected. She turned to Cadance. “Sorry, Cadi. She’s new here.”
C-cadi?
Cadance giggled. It sounded like a thousand tiny bells.
“A newbie, huh? Have you taken her under your wing then, Sapphy?”
Sapphy?
“I have! I’ve been doing my best to get her up to speed, but she just got here last night.”
“Well, I think she’s gonna fit in just fine. What’s your name, hon?”
“Coco, ma’am.”
Cadance flicked her tail. “Well I suppose that’s better than Princess. But here you can just call me Cadance. Or anything else you want, really, it’s up to you.”
“Of course, uh, C-Cadance?”
“See, that wasn’t so hard. I don’t need a cutie like you calling me ma’am. It makes me feel like Auntie. Oh, please don’t tell her I said that.”
Sapphire and Cadance giggled, while Coco simply tried to sink deeper into her seat.
“Okay, Coco. I’ll make you a deal. If you can say my name without stuttering before the end of the day, I’ll take you out to dinner.”
What? What?
“Anyhow, I’ve got more ponies to say hi to. I hope to see you both around.”
And just when Coco thought she couldn’t get any more embarrassed, the Princess leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek.
Coco scarcely avoided fainting.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Coco. I’m looking forward to your time here.”
Cadance walked away purposefully, brushing her tail against Coco’s cutie mark.
Coco wasn’t sure if it was intentional intentional, but it certainly had quite an effect on her.
“Oooh, she likes you,” Sapphire squealed. “I bet you two are gonna be great together.”
Coco swallowed hard. Everything had already seemed complicated enough this morning, and now somehow things had gotten even more complicated. This was going to be a very long day.