Bon Bon sat on her haunches in the dirt, watching the apprentice swords-dragon swing and parry at the air. "You're using too much energy," she cautioned. "Every swing should be with purpose."
"Purpose," muttered Spike as he danced up towards a target dummy and began slapping it with the sword in a vain attempt to defeat it with his wooden weapon. "Have you ever used a sword?"
"Once or twice," demurred Bon Bon with a glance away. "I don't have one now."
Spike paused to hike a thumb. "Laud left his if you want to borrow it." There was the wooden sword, abandoned on the practice field. "He told me to keep it safe."
Bon Bon looked towards the abandoned sword and back at Spike. "Are you sure? I could hurt something." Her voice was full of sarcasm, rolling her eyes as she said it.
"You're just going to show me how you swing it." He shrugged as he backed away from the practice dummy. "We won't spar."
Bon Bon rose to her hooves and stepped over to the sword. She stepped on the hilt of the sword and reared up, the sword stuck to her hoof easily. "I have a good hoof-grip."
Spike clapped, easily impressed. "I bet being an earth-pony chef would require that."
"The only thing I'm cooking today is pain." She bounced around the target dummy and began tagging it as she went, slicing and bashing at its joints and neck.
Spike blinked softly, watching Bon Bon attack the dummy with growing ferocity. "Huh, wow... You... really need this, huh?"
Bon Bon went red instantly and threw the sword aside. "What?! No..."
"It's cool." Spike flew over and grabbed up the sword, offering it back to her. "Go on."
She peered at him quietly a moment before accepting the blade, transferring it to her hoof properly. "I'm only doing it to show you how it's done. Pay attention to how I move."
Spike was happy enough to watch her style and let her vent her frustrations on the dummy that would not complain about the abuse.
Gregor asked around the town. Sure, he tried to not make it seem like a big deal, and, to his slight dismay, the ponies didn't see it as much of a big deal either. Yes, Celestia raised the sun for them, and her sister, Luna, raised the moon. They were two little gods and the ponies accepted their place, deciding the cycles of day and night.
If he hadn't seen the strange nature of their solar system, he would have laughed it off as primitive superstitions. Their sun, small as it was, burned bright in the sky. The stars they could see at night all shone brilliantly. It seemed the light had only blessing to bequeath the curious species of that world.
"I must meet her."
"You have to set an appointment," counseled Twilight, sitting across from him at an outdoor area of a local eatery. "One doesn't just... walk up to a princess."
As if summoned by her claim, a colt dashed up with a paper with a smile. Twilight signed it with a quill without even seeming to notice, sending the foal away with a joyous whoop.
Gregor pondered the mixed signals being presented. "How difficult is it to secure such a meeting?"
"I'd be glad to help." She clopped her forehooves together as a paper popped into being beside her head, an unrolled scroll that she began to write on. "What is the nature of the business to be discussed at this meeting?"
"I am but a humble visitor, who would like to learn more about her, and to discuss her peoples' place in the wider universe." He tapped the ends of his fingers against one another. "You speak with her regularly, I gather?"
"Through letters more often than not." She rolled up the scroll and slapped a seal on it. "Sp-- Oh, yes, he's busy." She frowned a moment before she turned her head towards the scroll, concentrating on some great feat of magic. The scroll vanished into a puff of smoke that wisped towards the castle. "That is much harder for me than it would have been for him."
"Who are you referring to?" He kept an even face despite the obvious sorceries going on. It was up to him to determine how evil, or not, such things were.
"Spike, my assistant. He's a dragon." She held up a hoof. "About this tall, friendly. I think you met him?"
"Ah, yes, I do recall the one." The one caught snooping where he shouldn't have been. "He has magic?"
"Only one specific trick, well, two come to think, but related." She held up a lone hoof. "He can send letters to Celestia, and receive letters from Celestia. Besides that, he's a dragon. So, you know, flying, fire breath, that sort of thing."
"What a curiously specific sorcery." And one he struggled to find the negative of, if it literally did that and that alone. "Do all dragons have this ability?"
"Oh goodness, that would be... something." Twilight shook her head firmly. "This is a Spike thing, not a dragon thing. Hopefully she'll get back to us shortly and we'll know."
Spike's cheeks bulged just as he was going for a strike. Laud danced away, expecting fire, but what emerged was a scroll with an ornate bow and seal. "What timing," grumbled Spike, grabbing it from the air.
"That could be quite inconvenient when poorly timed." Not that mid-spar was great timing. "What message is it?"
Spike squinted at it. "It's to Twilight, so I wouldn't know." He shrugged. "Opening other people's letters is a no no."
"This is truth." He tucked the practiced sword at his belt. "Let's see it to her then."
Spike tucked his own sword away in much the same way, emulating his teacher. "Onwards! It is a knight's duty... right?"
"I would be inclined to agree. Were I entrusted with a missive for a superior, none would be allowed to prevent my delivery." Laud patted his shoulder on the way past. "Though I doubt any will--"
Bon Bon put out a hoof, tripping Spike as he went past.
"--get in your way," lamely finished Laud, peering at Bon Bon.
"Never let your guard down," warned Bon Bon in a taunting tone, rising to her hooves. "I'm coming with you."
Spike picked himself up with a huff, glaring at Bon Bon. "No fair picking on a guy when you're off limits."
"It isn't," agreed Laud with a faint smile. "And yet, it will happen. When you visit a lord, their immediate family may not smile on you, and you have to deal with their attacks without resorting to your blade. They may hinder you, or it could be far more dire, but it can happen, and Bon Bon is simply displaying that reality. Not every foe can be bested with your blade."
"See, he understands." She nodded with self-righteous pleasure. "Striking me would tilt the political map against you very swiftly, so you'll have to be clever about how you exact your revenge, or otherwise convince me to find another target."
"Huh..." He stroked his chin, the scroll held in his other hand as he considered the political challenge laid before him. "Well alright, but you called this on yourself."
"Do your worst," she half-sang, prancing a step with a coy smile.
They found Twilight at her favorite sandwich place. She was seated across from the human priest, Gregor. Laud dipped his head towards the holy visitor. "I trust you are enjoying your visit?"
"Your people are nothing but kind to visitors," he easily agreed with a smile, but his eyes were drawing to the scroll Spike held. "Is that what I think it may be?"
The scroll glowed, plucked from Spike by Twilight's magic. "Ah ha! That was fast. Thank you."
"No problem." He thumbed up with both fists.
She cracked the seal and unfurled the scroll. "Now let's see what she said. Ah, mmm. Doesn't get much better than that."
Gregor's attention was fully on Twilight. "What was her response?"
"She says she was awaiting your request, and would be delighted to meet you at your earliest convenience." She pulled a ticket free of the scroll, which soon spread out into three. "She included a few tickets for the train."
Gregor kept control of his expression, instead smiling despite internal misgivings. This ruler of theirs had been waiting for his move. Shrewd, dangerous? She had included three tickets... "How generous. I will have to go soon then. It would not do to keep her waiting."
Twilight inclined her head faintly. "Would you like some company? Canterlot is a big city and it's easy for a newcomer to get lost in it."
Laud's hand suddenly came down on Spike's shoulder, making him jump. "I know someone intimately familiar with the city, and is looked on fondly by the princess. Spike, my squire, would gladly serve the position."
"I would? I mean yeah I would!" He flashed a big forced smile. "I know how to get to the castle and all the good places in the city, no problem. I used to live there, you know."
"Such genorisity." He fixed his gaze on Spike. "I hear you only just started your training, and already you would take time to help me, a mere priest of an order you barely know?"
"Aw, it's nothing." Spike waved it off with a slightly more natural grin. "We can't have you getting into trouble. What kind of hosts would we be?"
"Excellently spoken," agreed Laud with a soft nod. "He may be fresh to the station of a squire, but he is well versed in the means of being a personal assistant and will guide you surely and swiftly." And keep Laud appraised of what happens, but he didn't feel the need to mention that part.
Bon Bon reared up, hooves on the table. "You're visiting Celestia?"
"That was the goal." Gregor nodded towards her. "Ah, Miss Mountbatten, if I have it?"
"I am Laud's wife, yes." She smiled thinly, squirming faintly. "The one that will make him a father, apparently, ugh."
She didn't think much of letting that fact out, expecting most already knew about it. Gregor tensed, unable to resist it. "You are expecting then?"
"Yes," she sighed out, glancing back at her unchanged belly. "So I won't be going with you. Laud and Twilight and Lyra would all collectively lose their marbles if I 'risked' anything." She reared up to move her hooves like quotes. "I'm a grown mare. I don't need to be treated like a foal."
"Motherhood is a delicate time. They are concerned for your and the child's well-being." This changed things... He had to know more... "Pray forgive this question, but I am a stranger to your people, and ask this not in judgment." Oh how he was ready to judge. That was in part his duty. "Do married individuals practice... monogamy? Exclusivity?"
Bon Bon began to go a deep shade instantly, falling back off the table.
Twilight reflected her expression perfectly, a surprised gasp issuing from her lips.
"Sir--" Laud's hand was close to his sword, but did not grasp it. "The lady was untouched until we consummated our union. I would ask that you apologize to her for suggesting otherwise."
Gregor knew he had pushed too far and raised his hands in soft deflection. "Asked without insult intended, but I see that I have done ill by you, and accept responsibility. M'lady, please forgive me for my inconsiderate question. I would gladly pray for you and yours, if you would accept my presence, to bless this childbirthing to be clean and swift."
Bon Bon blinked rapidly at that. "Wait, you can do that? Humans have midwife magic?!" She was back on the table, leaning on her forehooves. "I would like to know more about that."
Twilight burst into laughter. "We learn new things every day." The two seemed perfectly happy to let the awkward moment pass them by.
Laud would not forget as easily.