The day after Iron Root slept over went exactly the same as the day before.
Though this time, Iron left early in the morning and stayed out all day, likely training, before leaving for home.
The lavender was bountiful, so Evergreen harvested some.
Two maids, different than the lasts came in, one complaining of a headache, the other requesting black tea as the green tea was just, "Always so bitter!" Evergreen didn't have the energy to explain to her that she was probably burning it.
Three day guards came during the day, same chafed armor business as before.
Silver Spear came that night, asking for the tea.
Evergreen fell asleep, trying not to worry.
The next day was similar.
Though Iron did not show up, neither did the maids.
A large group of guards came, swearing to have been in an official duel. Though it was quite obvious that it was some unofficial roughhousing.
Silver Spear came that night, asking for Luna's tea.
Evergreen struggled to fall asleep, attempting to not worry.
The next day was yet another day.
Iron visited at noon, not long after Evergreen woke up, but only stayed long enough to knock over the mint.
The two maids from before came, thanking Evergreen because of the essential oils, they looked younger already due to the oils working wonderfully. Which Evergreen had quietly responded with, "Yes, the placebo works as well..."
Soon the other two maids came, one again requesting black tea, but they did happen to bump into the previous two maids, who promptly decided to start a three hour long conversation which ended with Evergreen giving out three more bottles of essential oils, which, mind you, are not the easiest to make, and explaining how to make tea without burning it.
Shortly after, Silver Spear showed up, requesting Luna's tea.
Evergreen could barely sleep that night, that many stress headaches was not normal.
The next day was boring, absolutely no one came.
No one except Silver Spear, again asking for Luna's tea.
The unshakable feeling of something being wrong had progressed throughout the days. Surly it was a very bad thing for one of the two rulers of Equestria to be in that much pain. Evergreen finally admitted to himself that he was worried, but what could he do? Tell the princess to chill out? Definitely not.
The day after was again, similar to the others.
Evergreen harvested a bit of mint and one guard came in the afternoon, chafed armour, again.
And then Silver Spear came and requested tea.
And then Evergreen snapped.
"How long does she intend to drink this? Until she's addicted? Well she cannot be addicted from one cup of lavender tea a night, but a stress headache every night? Tis absurd. How long has she been getting these?!" He asked.
Silver looked ever so slightly bewildered by the quiet unicorn's sudden outburst, "I do not know." He explained.
Evergreen paused, surprised that he got a response, even more surprised that he said that out loud. He shook his head, levitated practically all of his herbs towards him and pushed past the guard.
He started trotting, not particularly sure where he was going, but was too frustrated to care. Silver Spear picked up on what was going on quickly, "What art thou doing." He said more like a statement than a question.
"Giving the princess a proper diagnosis and treatment plan." He spoke as Silver Spear slowly starting taking the lead, "I assumed the headache was a one time thing but if this keeps up she might request more tea, it's safe as of now but medicinal herbs are easy to overdose on."
Silver Spear nodded as they turned and turned again and then finally turned to reach the moon princess' corridor.
And that's when Evergreen realised what he was doing. Should he turn around now? He'd look like a fool to the guards who were already staring at him if he did that. He really didn't want to seem like he was bossing around an alicorn princess though.
He swallowed as Silver Spear and another guard levitated the door open. Too late to turn back now. Evergreen stepped inside the large room, way to many jars of herbs following after him in his magical grasp.
"E-excuse me..?" He spoke.
Luna blinked curiously, she was as gorgeous as ever, with wide questioning eyes and glowing stars in her mane. "Thou may enter."
Evergreen did just that, trotting towards the princess, "Um, pardon my sudden visit, please, but well.." he looked at her, she didn't seem upset luckily, just curious, a bit irritated but that seemed to be towards her headache, "Having a stress headache every night.. isn't normal…" he tried to say gracefully, "It'd be better if I gave thou a uh, treatment plan, rather than tea every night. That way it may not show up at all eventually."
Luna tilted her head, "Thou can make it not show up at all?"
"Ah, yes." Evergreen mumbled, looking through his cacophony of herbs. He stepped back towards the door to request hot water for tea and soon returned to the princess, setting the jars done next to the couch she sat on. "Now, do thou know what's causing thou stress?" He spoke, still standing, distracted by a few jars still in his magic.
The mare stared at him, ".. Sit, please."
Evergreen blinked and immediately went to sit on the seat across from her. He then waited several agonizing silent moments that felt like much longer than they actually were.
Turns out Luna was just thinking, "I.. have a lot of work.. Such as paperwork.. but also, I protect ponies' dreams and well, let us just say bad things happen if I screw up. Not to mention the moon.. and my sister..." She trailed off.
Evergreen's ears flopped back. He couldn't do much for alicorn problems. Maybe the best thing he could do was throw herbs at the situation until it went away or got worse. He thought for a moment.. "Can.. I help?"
The night princess looked shocked, "I beg thy pardon?"
"Oh I do not mean to pry!" He said defensively, "I completely understand if there is paperwork that are only meant for alicorn eyes or things such as that. But it tis clear that thou hast an overworking problem… I wish to help in anyway I can."
There was a knock on the door, which gave Evergreen enough of an excuse to get up and gather the water with a quick, "Excuse me a moment."
He silently made the tea for the princess, "Thou would have to stay up for much to late." She spoke.
Evergreen was honestly surprised that the princess was considering his offer, "I already stay up quite late as is," worrying about thou, "And.." he suddenly levitated several jars till he found mint, he opened it and grasped a couple of leaves in his magic, "I have caffeine." He ate the leaves as he set down the jar. "Now what paperwork can I do?" He said as soon as he swallowed.
After a moment's pause, Luna raised a hoof to scratch her chin, "I cannot believe I am doing this." She mumbled as she got up, took a sip of her tea, and headed to her desk on the far side of her room.
A minute passed before she returned with quite a large pile of papers.
"Basically any work that Celestia needs done quickly but cannot do because of her need for sleep." She explained. She levitated each paper, skimming the words and setting them into two organized piles. Within a moment, there was one very large pile and one very small pile.
Luna moved the smaller pile to be in front of Evergreen and then move herself to be sat next to him. He blushed as she moved onto the sofa but that was a normal reaction, anypony would be nervous next to an alicorn.
Evergreen shook his head, forcing away the blush. "So what do I need to do?" He asked.
Luna quickly organized the pile and found one to levitate to the top. "Start with this one. I need thou to read the fine print and.. explain it to me so I can decide whether to sign it or not."
Evergreen nodded and turned to the paper. He levitated it closer to get a better look.
'Farm Permit Request.' It said on the top, 'From Ebony Wing of Cloudsdale.' It said directly underneath.
"This.. does not seem like something you'd go to a Princess for.." Evergreen stated
Luna nodded, getting up and gathering her own pile as she finished off her tea, "Celestia does most of the important work. I hast given thou the least consequential work of mine."
Evergreen nodded, that made sense. He looked over the form quickly. Ebony Wing was a pegasus who has never been on the ground before. She wants to start a strawberry farm after her brother traded for some from an earth pony and decided that they taste wonderful.
According to the fine print that somepony with a quill must've had to painstakingly write out, one must request a permit to farm due to the change in the old earth pony law that'd allow anypony free property so long as they had useful plants growing on it that they planted.
"I don't believe there is any problem with this," he spoke and explained what type of request it was.
Luna held it with her magic, skimming over it, "Yes.. This is fine." She said before getting up and opening one of many drawers near her desk. She looked through several papers before nodding to herself and putting them back. "It does not seem to be for malicious intent," She explained. She signed it with a quill and then set it onto what Evergreen assumed was the finished pile.
".. May I ask what you were checking?" Evergreen asked quietly, "..That seemed to take longer to read than the actual request."
Luna looked at him, she paused, "I was looking at her lineage, to see if her family had any problems with farmers in the past. A pegasus wishing to farm could be a pegasus wishing to cause harm to earth ponies."
Evergreen nodded slowly, "I see." He said, he supposed that did make sense.
He went back and read another request, again with farming, an earth pony wanting to request another acre for 'Coarse Apple Acres.'
Another requested a permit for sailing. Another requested a property for a clothing shop. Another was a royal maid application.
Luna checked each one's lineage, and then signed each one.
It didn't take long for Evergreen to be finishing with the dozen or so left in his pile.
Once Luna signed the last one, she barely glanced at Evergreen. "Ehm," he mumbled, causing her to look at him, "Is there anything else I can do?"
Luna blinked, "Oh." She said, she glanced at the moon out of her window, "No, thou should rest." She said.
"Oh, okay." Evergreen spoke.
After a silent few moments, Evergreen turned to leave. He was only a few paces from the door when he heard her voice, "Evergreen."
"Yes?" He turned.
She stayed silent for a bit, "Thou trimmed off at least a quarter of an hour of my work." She explained, "Thank you."
"Thou art welcome, Princess" he said, "I'd be happy to help more." He offered.
"Oh no, thou need not be bothered." She said quickly, "..But, if you'd like.. you may come tomorrow night at Moonrise." She didn't look at him as she said it.
Evergreen smiled, "Of course. I'll see thou then. Good night, Princess."
"Yes, good night." She returned the farewell distractedly.
With that, Evergreen turned to leave with his cacophony of jars. He nodded at Silver Spear as he passed and was luckily able to navigate himself home.