"Auurgh!"
THUD!
Sun Squall gasped and shot up in bed. "Mainstay!"
I groaned.
She leaned over the edge to peer down at me with sleepy curiosity. "Why are you down there?"
"I muffin-well fell out!" What did it look like I was doing?! I struggled with the blanket tangled around my hooves and muttered, "It was just a bad dream." I hope — Princess Luna was supposed to help ponies having a nightmare, not help them have a nightmare!
"Awww…" She rolled over onto her back and stretched like a cat. "Mmmf… I was having a super nice one before you woke me — we were flying over Canterlot, Princess Luna and me, and we got ice cream, and she said that she's sending a carriage to-"
Her drowsy eyes popped open.
"Oh, my stars and strudel!" She rolled over and grabbed my shoulders. "I think she really is sending a carriage to take us to Canterlot! Do you think it's about Mayree?!"
"I… Maybe?" That might be what the princess meant by 'coming for me'?
"We're going to see Mayreeeee! Eee hee hee hee heeeeee!"
I ducked as Sun Squall leaped out of bed and galloped around my little shed, running loops about the cluttered table, knocking nets, and floats, and traps flying! I managed to catch her on the third lap and we tumbled to the floor laughing.
We were going to see Mayree!
Maybe.
Princess Luna, definitely.
Sun Squall was too excited to sleep, especially after I told her about meeting the princess in my nightmare, as that cinched it. It wasn't just her wishful dreaming. She kept an eye out for our ride while I puttered about making an early breakfast, since I didn't dare crawl back into bed either. I was too scared of who might be waiting for me. The hour when I should have hoofed it to the harbour and taken Mayree out on her maiden voyage came and went. It wasn't until dawn that an alabaster and gold carriage flew out of the sunrise, pulled by a pair of armoured pegasi and flanked by two more. They dove past Mayree's house and out over the sea, then banked around to make for Smile Harbour. There was nowhere in the hilly, rocky ground north of The Hump to land a carriage the size of a yacht, I guess.
Most of the townponies were out on the lane or leaning out of windows, eyes wide with wonder, when we galloped into town. It was probably the first time any of them had seen a Royal Guard!
Tongues would be wagging for years.
Guards hustled us on board, smiling and waving at the gathering, and before I could catch my breath, we shot away into the sky!
There must have been alicorn magic involved because we went faster than I'd ever gone in my life! Sun Squall pranced about, peered over the sides as Equestria rolled past, far, far below, or stared at the toned rumps of the guards pulling us. After throwing up, mostly over the side, I sprawled on my sick belly and clung to the floor for dear life! Sun Squall eventually settled next me and took me under her wing.
I woke with a start at a sudden sinking sensation. We were in a rapid descent and the gold domes and gleaming white towers of Canterlot hove into view. Moments later we rolled to a stop in a courtyard of the spectacular palace.
I left a tip for the unfortunate pony who had to clean up the carriage.
A young court page greeted us and led the way through a warren of hidden passages. Sun Squall's eager anticipation faded and she stuck close to my side, shivering nervously. I was on edge too, wondering and worrying if Mayree — or Princess Luna — was around the next corner. But we only saw other palace staff as the page led us to the fabulous Royal Baths; a fantastic undersea-themed grotto of ceramic and brass.
Thank Celestia they had studly scented soap!
Once we were presentable, four guards escorted us through the gardens.
It was lush as a summer's day, even up the side of a blintzing mountain and with the first snow around the corner. I'm sure it was spectacular, amazing, breath taking, and I should have been gobsmacked by the sculpted bushes, exotic blooms, and gleaming statues of Equestria's heroes and villains, but I didn't spare any of it a second glance. Rounding a curved yew hedge cut with razor-sharp precision we stepped off of the marble path onto a fresh green lawn that smelled heavenly to my empty growling belly. A human figure stood tall beneath the roof of a pure white gazebo, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and a dark grey jacket.
I shouted, "Mayree!"
The guards must have been ordered to let me go if I ran. My hooves tore up clods as I galloped and I heard Sun Squall's wings thump the air as she followed.
I clattered up the marble steps shouting, "Thank the stars! I miss you so much! Are you-" I skidded to a stop and my rump slammed down onto cold stone.
"ωεℓℓ, нεℓℓο. ι'м sοяяλ, βμτ ι δοη'τ sρεακ εφμεsτяιαη. λομ мμsτ βε Mehnchteh." My mane blew across my eyes as Squall touched down next to me. "αηδ λομ'яε Sskwahrl? нεℓℓο."
"What? But-"
Sun Squall bumped shoulders with me and stated the obvious, "That's not Mayree and she said she doesn't speak Equestrian but she knows who we are."
Her mane was cut shorter than Mayree's, and curlier, pale gold and silver. The skin of her face was ruddy and wrinkled with a pair of black-framed glasses perched on her small upturned nose. The grey clothing she wore covered her whole body, which was obviously much heavier. Obvious now. And she wasn't as tall, she didn't loom over us like Mayree did.
I missed her looming.
"ι'м мαяλ's ρsλςнοτнεяαριsτ, δοςτοя ςℓαяκ." She bent to hold out a hand.
Sun Squall tapped her hoof against the mare's hand, and told me, "She's a doctor of some kind."
"A doctor?" I politely touched hoof to hand, and even though I knew she didn't speak Equestrian, I asked, "Is she alright? What happened? Where is she?" My empty tummy twisted with anxiety! Had Mayree left because she was secretly ill? Was she dying?! Was she… pregnant?!
A musical laugh from deeper within the gazebo caught my attention. In the centre of the exquisite structure was an equally exquisite table overflowing with flowers, a silver tea set, and a platter of baked treats. A tall and very pink alicorn reclined on a cushion on the far side.
Princess Mi Amore Cadenza! Empress of the Crystal Empire and Princess of Mending Hearts!
"Mayree is fine. We're all here to discuss what happened and what will happen. She is here too, at the palace, and you'll be seeing her soon, I promise", she said in a sweet voice that untied the knots in my heart and belly. "Won't you please join me for tea?"
Princess Cadenza was gorgeous and radiant and, unlike the other alicorn I'd met, she didn't utterly terrify me. Quite the opposite — she filled me with hope!
And tea and cake.
Sun Squall and the doctor sat across from me, talking in human-gibberish while I crammed a pink-frosted cupcake into my mouth. My tummy rumbled its appreciation.
Princess Cadenza's giggle chimed like tiny silver bells. She lowered a demure hoof from her dainty muzzle and asked, "May I cast a babble spell on you? I could translate, but a touch of magic would make things much easier."
I swiped frosting off my lip and said, "Yes, please." I noticed the napkin and shamefully scrubbed my hock clean.
The princess didn't notice or at least didn't care about my poor table manners. She graced me with an amused smile as her horn glowed pink and sparkled and, for a moment, so did I.
My ears popped.
"-abandon you, but she blamed herself for what happened and thought that leaving would give you and Mainstay the best chance for a — in her words — a real relationship." The doctor's growls and hisses had become a warm melody of compassion.
"But it wasn't her fault!" Sun Squall whimpered and said, "They're meant to be together but I was mean and selfish thinking Mainstay would marry both of us."
Hearing her chirpy voice in my ear but watching her lips say something completely different made my fur bristle.
Princess Cadenza whispered, "You're welcome."
I blushed and whispered back, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"We were so perfect together as friends and…" Sun Squall sighed and shook her head, "I wish we could just be friends again. Do you think she'll forgive me?"
The doctor patted her hoof. "I'm almost certain she will. Mayree has told me that she wished to undo what happened and she hoped that you would be willing to forgive her."
"Really?"
The doctor nodded and hummed as she forked a bite of strawberry shortcake into her muzzle.
My heart sank. Mayree wished she could undo that night? I guess… things had been simpler before I fell in love with her.
After sipping her tea the doctor told Sun Squall, "I don't believe any of you alone is to blame for what happened. You assumed Mayree wouldn't accept your feelings, and she believed she knew what was best for everypony.
"I'm sure you could have avoided so much heartache if you hadn't been secretive and tried to rush things. If you'd talked, openly and honestly, about your desire for more than friendship. I can't promise it won't hurt, but I know that Mayree cares about you a great deal and if you bottle everything up, you'll be lying to her and yourself. You won't have a healthy relationship, whatever it turn out to be."
Sun Squall hung her head, taking the doctor's scolding to heart and looking pretty miserable. I stretched across the table to hold her hoof and she looked up and met my eyes.
"I'll try", she told me with a trembling smile.
The doctor said, "Good. That's all anypony can ask."
Sun Squall sniffed, put on a brave smile, and sat up straighter.
"Mainstay?"
"Ye-" My throat caught and I coughed. "Yes?"
"Can you understand what I'm saying now?"
"Yes, I can understand you."
"Excellent! The magic seems to affect my ears as well. Thank you, Your Majesty." She nodded to Princess Cadenza before turning her wise old eyes back to me.
"Mayree an I have spoken at great length regarding you and I suspect some of this situation may be because you're still dealing with tragic events in your past. Do you think that might be true?"
I glanced Sun Squall's way and she squeezed my hoof. There was no denying it had made things difficult between us.
I nodded at the doctor and said, "Maybe."
"I believe you may benefit from sessions with a professional counselor and I've been in touch with a colleague in Los Pegasus who would like to meet you. Would you like to give it a try?"
I shifted uncomfortably on my cushion and mumbled, "I'll think about it."
"Please do. I will let him know we spoke, but here is his address if you wish to reach out to him." She took a small scroll from her pocket and set it next to my plate.
"What about Mayree?"
"We'll come to that in a moment. First, I want to ask, do you like me?"
"Um… well, you gave Squall good advice, so I guess you're alright."
"Thank you. How did my asking if you liked me make you feel?"
"Annoyed that I had to think of something nice to say."
She chuckled. "Did you? You could have been honest and said that you don't like me and don't trust nosey strangers. But the reason I asked is to give you a hint of the pressure Mayree felt to respond in kind when you told her that you love her."
"Oh…" A heavy weight settled in my heart. "She doesn't really love me then."
"I didn't say that, but I do know she cares about you… both of you. I've been told that ponies and other talking-species falling in love is not unheard of here-", she glanced at Princess Cadenza, who smiled and nodded. "But nothing like this is possible on Earth. This is all so new to us, Mayree included, that it's bound to be difficult to accept and appreciate at first. You may be eager to rush ahead in your relationship but Mayree needs for you to slow down."
A smile made little crinkles around her eyes and she said, "Other than that, just keep doing what you're doing. I believe that you are very good for one another."
I nodded and my heart fluttered as I exhaled a shaky breath. Mayree had warned me that she didn't trust instant pony friendship and I should have known better than to rush headlong into loving her.
The doctor huffed and stood with some difficulty after having her hinds wedged under the table. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'd better go. My time here is over and I must catch a train to Ponyville."
"Thanks for your advice", chirped Sun Squall.
"Yes, thank you", I grumbled.
"You're both very welcome. It was a pleasure meeting you and getting to put cute furry faces to names." She bowed to Princess Cadenza, "Thank you for tea, Your Majesty."
"You're welcome. It was lovely meeting you Doctor Scribe, have a safe journey home." She waved as the doctor was escorted from the garden by a pair of guards.
"More tea?" she asked while levitating the silver pot.
"Yes, please. Thank you, Your Highness", said Sun Squall.
"Please, just call me Cadence."
Sun Squall squeaked happily. "Okay… Cadence." Another squeak.
The Princess refilled my cup and nudged the tray of baked treats toward me. "Please, help yourself."
"Ah, thanks, Your- Cadence." I took a slice of the strawberry shortcake the doctor had enjoyed so much.
Sun Squall and the Princess chatted quietly, but I only kept half an ear on their conversation. My eyes were glued to the door through the hedge and the gleaming palace beyond.
Where was she?
Probably getting a report from the nosey doctor.
"Please relax, Mainstay. She'll be here soon."
My ears snapped around to focus on the Princess. Muffins. I'd been pawing at the ground and making little eager grunts, hadn't I? She gave me a fresh napkin to wipe sweat from my face.
I heard hoofsteps and looked up as a white stallion in a red military jacket escorted Mayree through the hedge.
She paused at the entrance and her nervous little smile made my heart clench and ache. Her chestnut mane fell in waves around her shoulder, framing pale pink cheeks that I longed to touch and lips that begged to be kissed! She wore a dress the colour of an oyster shell, blue and green gems scattered in a wave over her barrel, and a long, flowing skirt hid her paws.
She folded her bare fores, rubbed them nervously and said, "Hi."
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. What if I opened my muzzle and blurted out something foalish?
Sun Squall sprang from her pillow, galloped across the lawn, and skidded to a halt before crashing into Mayree. I could only see her rump-side but from the way she pranced and mantled her wings I could tell she was also too nervous to speak!
Mayree crouched, pulled her into a hug, and whispered in her ear.
Now the wings swept up and wrapped around her as Sun Squall sobbed, "Mayree!"
Something warm nuzzled my shoulder and I gasped.
"Come on", murmured Princess Cadence as she gave me a shove with her perfect little muzzle. "Your turn."
Mayree freed one of her fores from her cocoon of orange feathers and held it out to me as I stumbled across the lawn on numb legs. She drew me up against her and I nuzzled her mane at last and wuffled against her ear.
Sweet strudel and biscuits but I'd missed her scent.
"I'm sorry", she choked, her throat thick with remorse. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could go back and stop myself."
Sun Squall sobbed something against her chest and I kissed Mayree's smooth cheek. I'd been angry with her for leaving, but I felt nothing but relief now. She was back!
But would she stay?
Far too soon she said, "Guys? I have to stand up or I'm going to fall over, and Rarity will kill me if I get grass stains on this dress."
Reluctantly, I let her go.
Mayree brushed her hand over Sun Squall's damp cheek and told her, "Smile, silly filly." Sun Squall's trembling lips managed something like a smile.
Princess Cadenza and the stallion who'd escorted Mayree stood shoulder-to-shoulder, a few paces off, heads together and grinning over our sappy reunion. She cleared her throat and asked, "Would you like a tour of the gardens?"
Mayree bared her fangs. "I've already seen them, do you guys want to have a look around?"
Sun Squall sniffled and said, "Y-yes, please."
"Okay, follow me! We'll start at the Fountain of Friendship — it's one of my favourites." Princess Cadence nuzzled the stallion and I realise he must be her husband, Shining Armour.
Mayree rested a hand on my withers as Equestria's most famous romantic couple led us deeper into the garden. Sun Squall pranced along beside them, oohing and ahhing at bushes trimmed into fantastic creatures, exotic trees, statues of historic figures, and acres of beautiful blooms. Like an eager foal she peppered 'Cadence' and 'Shiny' with a million questions.
Mayree scratched her feelers into my shaggy winter coat. "Your fur has really grown out."
"Yes, well, my little wood stove doesn't make much heat and there are a lot of holes in the shed's walls." I walked close, with my shoulder brushing her hip.
"Poop." Her lips said a human word which Princess Cadenza's spell translated. "You moved back to that shack?"
I rumbled, "Mmhmm."
We walked in uncomfortable silence for a while, trailing further and further behind Sun Squall and the others as we entered a maze of rose hedges. She asked, "How have you been?"
There was no point in shugar-coating it. "Miserable. You?"
She sighed. "Miserable."
I stopped, hung my head, and muttered, "I'm sorry."
She crouched, cupped my chin with her hand, and lifted my muzzle so we were nose-to-nose. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have left like that."
A pair of guards who'd trailed behind our tour backed away to give us privacy and we were alone, more or less, between tall rose hedges. Their dark green leaves and pink blossoms rustled in a cool breeze as I gazed into Mayree's beautiful eyes.
I ached to kiss her! But the doctor's advice to take it slow rang in my mind.
"S-so… What happens now?" I asked cautiously.
"I move back home."
"Home?"
"Home to Smile Harbour. But we need to have that talk — you, Squall, and me."
"Yes, we do." We had to tell her how things had changed between Squall and me, but that could wait for now. I forced myself to ask, "The doctor said you want to… to undo what happened?"
"Yeah, it got out of hand… Out of hoof? And I have to make things right with you and Squall."
So she still just wanted for me and Squall to be together? I winced and nodded. "Okay."
It would be painful pretending to be friends, but that would be better than never seeing her again. I sidled away and tried to shrug her hand off my shoulder.
She clutched at my mane. "What-?"
"We should get going. I don't want to miss out on the tour." Liar.
"Mainstay."
"Come on." I trotted away from her, pretending to look for the others and blinking my eyes. There must be pollen in the air or something.
"Mainstay, wait! I can't keep up in this tarting dress!"
I stopped and rubbed my eyes while she caught up.
"I thought you didn't- Oh poop, are you crying?"
I sniffed and choked out, "No."
Mayree sighed and dug her feelers into my mane while I panted and struggled to get myself under control. She scratched behind my ears and that calmed me down… muffins but I'd missed that!
"Let's sit down for a minute", she said and led me to a marble bench hidden in a little cove of bushes. She sat, tucking the dress around her slender hinds, and patted the space next to her, "Come on."
I hopped up, turned about, and settled at the far end of the bench, with my tail tucked around my hooves. It wasn't as comfortable as our couch back home.
"So…", Mayree said quietly. "What's up?"
I shifted my rump on the cold marble and shrugged while carefully examining a rose blossom.
She scooted closer and draped a fore over my shoulders. "Come on, Doctor Scribe said that we needed to talk more, so tell me what's going on in that furry head."
I growled and squeezed my lips together, barely holding back a tide of words. That blintzing doctor's advice made no sense! Give her time. Don't tell her I love her. But talk more? Be honest about my feelings? Why were mares so confusing?!
"Mainstaaay…"
"You… You want to undo everything?"
"Yes, I should have stuck around to talk with you and Squall instead of- Wait! You think I mean 'everything' everything?"
I nodded and she laughed!
She laughed and said, "No, not that! Everything that happened after Squall came home."
That brought my head and ears up! "Really?"
"Yes! I don't regret sleeping with you. I thought I would, but I really don't." She sounded almost as surprised as I was. She bit her lip and admitted, "To be honest, it was just supposed to be a pity tart and-"
"Pity tart?!"
She winced and looked away. "I know, that's terrible, and I'm sorry. But, I wouldn't have slept with you if I didn't want to, at least a little, and it was… it was really good, Mainstay." She gave me a heart-stopping smoldering look and impish grin. "Really good! And I think… I think I might be falling in love with you.
"I know you want more than 'maybe', but I can't until I'm sure how I feel about you and me. And then there's Squall. I just… I need…"
She blew out a pent up breath and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mainstay." Her voice trembled, on the edge of frustrated tears. "I'm not very good at this… talking about my feelings stuff."
She looked ready to curl up into herself or jump up and run away again, so I scooted along the bench and leaned against her side. Her fores wrapped about me and she pulled me close, clinging to me for support, and I was happy to lend her my strong earth pony shoulder. No, not happy, not while the confident, proud mare I'd fallen for was so lost, but relieved that she didn't push me away and I could be there for her.
After a few moments she relaxed and blew a warm breath over my twitching ears. Her hands ruffled my chest fur and she pulled back to sniff and shake her head.
"Sorry", she murmured and sniffed again.
I whinnied a quiet comforting rumble and cuddled up against her side, keeping her close with a fore around her waist.
"Tartarus, why not?" she muttered to herself. "Listen. I was going to ask my father to give you this…"
She reached behind her neck to unhook a thin chain necklace and tugged a pendant from the cleavage between her teats. She held it out to me and I tilted my head to look at it: a miniature unicorn horn ring made of gold, with a round diamond set between two square-cut deep blue sapphires.
"What is it?"
She smiled and asked, "You don't know anything about how humans get married, do you?"
I shook my head. "Not much."
Nothing at all, really.
"Well, this ring belonged to my auntie — her husband gave it to her when he proposed. Dad gave it to our mother when they were married, and his father gave it to his wife, my grand mother. It's been in our family for a long, long time and…" She slipped the necklace over my head. "And I want the stallion I marry to give me this ring when he proposes. Okay?"
I opened my mouth, but she pressed her feelers over my lips. "Not right now! When we're both ready."
When would that be?!
Now would be nice, but it wouldn't be today and probably not tomorrow. So I nodded and simply kissed her cheek, not wanting to push. Mayree grabbed my mane as I sat back and suddenly her lips were on mine! Like the night she'd climbed into my bed, her bold tongue touched me and I opened my mouth to accept. My heart leapt as we shared unspoken passion with our lips and tongues. Her hands groped my cutie marks and I wanted to push her down, tear off her beautiful dress with my teeth, and make love right there in the middle of Canterlot's fancy gardens!
"Awwwwwwwwwww!" Sun Squall cooed.
With a gasp, Mayree's lips left mine and I blinked, startled, and looked around to see my fillyfriend and Princess Cadenza leaning past a hedge, watching us with big, hungry eyes.
The princess grinned and waved a hoof. "Don't mind us!"
Sun Squall giggled with her hooves pressed to her muzzle and I'm sure I heard Shining Armour stifle a laugh somewhere out of sight.
Mayree growled like a tiger and leaped off the bench to attack Sun Squall, who whooped and laughed and didn't try very hard to get away. I snorted, rolled my eyes and ambled over to the princess, and we watched Sun Squall lead Mayree in a silly chase around the hedges.
"Sorry for interrupting", Princess Cadenza murmured to me. "Squall was worried you'd gotten lost."
"It's fine. I think we found one another."
It was corny-sounding but I couldn't resist, and it did make a princess smile.
Once everypony had settled down, we made our way to the Fountain of Friendship. The air sparkled around the huge white marble basin and its gold statues of Princess Sparkle and her friends, the other Guardians of Harmony. It would be nice to meet her someday, but I should at least send her a 'thank you' letter for accidentally creating the Gate and bringing Mayree into my life. It was dry, of course, drained for winter but otherwise kept pristine by the garden staff. Not a single fallen leaf in sight. Shiny entertained Sun Squall with a story about his little sister and I noticed Mayree and Cadence share a look.
The princess' lips quirked in a smile and she made a subtle nod.
Mayree's hand relaxed against my side and she crouched to kiss my cheek. I quickly smootched her cute nose before she could get away.
My hooves rang on marble paving stones as we wandered through the garden. Chest puffed out, tail flagged high, I picked them up and put them down in a studly trot. I was a pipsqueak compared with Shining Armour but I felt huge! A weight was gone from my heart and if Mayree's hand weren't resting on my back, I would have drifted into the sky!
The palace's walls glowed rose as the sun slowly dipped toward the horizon. I'd hardly noticed the afternoon passing. Princess Cadenza and Shining Armour parted company with us and after we'd thanked them for the tour, they went inside, off to prepare for some state function or other.
I expected the guards to escort us back to the carriage, and we'd be on our way home, but they left as well, leaving Mayree, Sun Squall, and me alone on a lush green lawn beside the palace.
"What now?" I asked while bumping against Mayree's hip. "Time to head home?"
Sun Squall pranced up and chirped, "Yeah, let's go!" Her ears flicked back and she asked, "Y-you are coming back to Smile Harbour with us, right?"
Mayree crouched to run a hand through Sun Squall's blue and white mane. She scratched behind her ears and said, "Yes, silly filly, I want to go home and give us a try."
"Us?" Squall asked the question on the tip of my tongue.
Mayree licked her lips nervously and said, "You, Mainstay, and me."
I ducked but wasn't fast enough. My eyes watered as I clutched my stinging muzzle, but Sun Squall didn't seem to feel any pain in the wing she'd clobbered me with.
She leaped on Mayree, shoved her back onto her rump, and squealed, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Mayreeeeee!"
"My dress! Rares is going to kill me!"
Mayree broke down into delighted laughs as Sun Squall frantically nuzzled her cheek. Well, since Sun Squall was getting her grubby hooves all over that beautiful dress, I figured two more wouldn't hurt.
We got such a scowl from Rarity when we showed up in the Royal Changing Rooms.
She insisted that Mayree step behind a screen and undress so that she could cast cleansing spells on the 'poor dear' — the dress, not Mayree. It had suffered mightily in a good cause and required stitches. Rarity muttered to herself while working on it but I caught her casting smiling glances at me and Sun Squall.
A tailor named Silver Thimble, and Podium, a valet, measured, prodded, groomed, and dressed and undressed and redressed me in a starchy shirt and formal jacket.
"Do I have to wear a suit?" I whined as a comb snagged in my mane for the hundredth time. He was putting some kind of flowery goop in it! Ugh! I was going to wind up smelling like a muffin princess again!
"You certainly must!" called Rarity. "Dining with the Princesses requires a certain level of decorum, young stallion."
My blood ran cold. "D-d-dining with the Princesses?"
"Yep", said Mayree as she casually leaned over the top of a dressing screen to watch the show. "It's not often all four are in Canterlot and they want to meet you."
Strudel!
Princess Luna would be there!
An earth pony named Coco wrapped Sun Squall in a flowing cloth-of-gold shawl and something she called a 'palla'. They looked like baggy curtains until a few well-placed gold pins turned them into a classic Pegasopolian outfit that showed off her sleek flanks.
My hooves itched to mess her dress up too.
Mayree whistled and hooted, making Sun Squall's ears flush red.
"Ouch!"
Thimble snorted and plucked his pin out of my shoulder. "If sir does not stop quivering, I can not guarantee a decent fit."
Once the torture was over, Mayree, dressed once more in a pristine gown, bent to kiss me and murmured, "You look very handsome." She tipped my silly top hat to a cocky angle and kissed me again.
Then Sun Squall kissed me.
Maybe fancy dining at the palace wouldn't be so bad…
We had an hour free before execution… dinner, and Mayree took us on a tour. It was past time when they allowed tourists to visit, so other than a few guards and servants trotting about, we had the massive pile of marble to ourselves. Huge chandeliers of cut crystal, filled with candles, cast a warm cosy glow which managed to make the vast echoing spaces seem welcoming and homey.
Mayree told us stories of the weeks she'd spent as Luna's honoured guest: attending operas; visiting galleries, museums, and libraries; star gazing with Princesses Sparkle and Luna; gala after party after dinner with various nobility around Canterlot, often with other humans who'd been invited to visit or emigrate. Until she grew sick of it and moved to our little town. She was happy enough to be here this evening, so I guess Canterlot was like cod liver oil, best taken in small infrequent doses.
A pair of bat-winged guards looked us over with creepy predator's eyes as we entered a long hall where the warmth seemed to be leeched out of the candle and torch light. The fur on my back prickled as shadows flowed around my hocks like a black fog.
"And this is Lulu's wing", Mayree cheerfully announced my doom!
The Princess was going to have Words with me about making her favourite human cry. I just knew it! Words like 'unworthy' and 'how dare thee' and 'dungeon'! I was cold and sweaty under my fancy new shirt and jacket as we walked along a hall made darker by thick velvet curtains over its tall windows. She wouldn't punish me too harshly or send me into exile, would she? That would only upset Mayree even more. But she could easily make me too afraid to ever sleep again!
"Mainstay."
The terrible things Princess Luna could do in my nightmares would make a few years in a damp cell eating bread crusts seem like a vacation!
Mayree pinched my ear. "Mainstay!"
"Ow! What?"
"Were you even listening?"
"I… Uh-"
We'd stopped by a tall arched door made of gleaming black wood with an embossed crescent moon of silver, one of many along the hall. I'd expected the entrance to the Night Court to be more impressive… unless we were meeting the Princess in her private rooms? Was that a good sign? Or did she want fewer witnesses for what she was going to do to me?
Mayree sighed and shook her head as a half-smile played across her beautiful lips. "Okay, well, you're in for a surprise then. I hope you're ready."
Me too!
Sun Squall ruffled her wings nervously and chewed on her lower lip.
Mayree muttered to herself, "Now for the hard part."
Oh sweet stars please keep me from making a mess on Princess Luna's floor!
She pushed the door open and in a fake cheerful tone she called, "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my special someponies."
Muffin tops.