Clover’s hoofsteps were the only sound in the empty castle. Pillars towered over her and to a pony who wasn't used to the large hall, the castle could appear quite daunting. And it didn’t help that it looked so much smaller on the outside.
As Clover walked her eyes were fixed on the ornate crystal door that was coming closer with every step. She felt the growing unease in her stomach quadruple and had to fight the urge to turn right around and walk out of the hall altogether.
She wasn’t scared per say; she was more… apprehensive. Clover had dealt with creatures who wanted to bring ponykind to it’s doom, blizzard monsters who dragged the world into unrest, sorcerers who wanted to wipe the memory from countless and moving between dimensions.
None of those irritated her as much as getting the King of the unicorns to see reason.
Clover walked till she was right before the door. Gems adorned the sides of it, reflecting the light from the crystalline chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. The door itself was made from pure crystal. To someone who wasn't used to it, the door was just a step away from being blinding. Of course, the King had to show that he was in possession of the mines, didn’t he. He certainly couldn’t just stop flaunting the mesmerizing gems that the crown owned.
Clover took a breath, knowing that she was letting hatred get the best of her. Letting feelings get in her way wasn't going to help Equestria.
The unicorn mare straightened her back and brushed away a lock of emerald-green hair from her eyes, before raising a hoof and gingerly tapping her hoof on the polished crystal.
The door swung open as if in slow motion, revealing the throne room. The room had been the ruling central for all monarchs of the Unicorn Kingdom. Of course, this wasn't the original room, considering that the castle had been rebuilt after the founding of Equestria. Still, it was designed to showcase the sheer brilliance of unicorn-kind.
Clover walked down the velvety carpet that was laid down over the floor before reaching the pedestal. The pedestal was made from polished wood, oak to be precise and it had various patterns carved into the material. As for the throne… well, if one had been left in awe by the entrance door, the throne would leave their brains unable to function.
The unicorn mare bent her front hoof and slid into a bow before the king, waiting for him to address her before making her move.
“Clover. Rise and face your King!”
Clover did as she was told and straightened up, adjusting her signature cloak before replying. “Thank you for seeing me King Cobalt. I really appreciate it,” she said respectfully.
Cobalt nodded from atop his elegant throne. “I hope what you have to say is important Clover, I have many important things to get to, and can’t afford to have my time wasted on fruitless endeavors.”
Important? Like what? Getting spa treatments four times a day?
“Of course your majesty,” Clover replied. She lit her horn and her mint green magic swirled around her for a brief moment before opening the saddlebag on her back. She pulled out a stack of papers and scrolls with her magic and levitated them in front of her.
“Your majesty, I asked to speak to you today for I fear we might have a severe problem on our hoofs if we don’t act right away.”
Cobalt raised an eyebrow. “And this problem is?”
Clover took a breath. “As you are aware, Your majesty, for decades now, the unicorns have used their magic to move the sun and moon to bring forth day and night. However I do not believe that the solution itself is long term. You see-”
“That’s what you're worried about? Moving the sun and moon? Goodness gracious Clover, is that it? You and the other five unicorns have done it for ages now. Why would you worry now of all times?”
Clover gritted her teeth. Maybe if you let me finish I can explain, She thought indignantly.
“Your majesty, the amount of magical power needed to wield the sun and moon is by no means a small amount. We have managed to do it for the time being, but as the days go by it becomes more and more taxing. Unless we find a long term solution, the celestial bodies could stop moving altogether.”
“Alright, then why not get more unicorns to help you move the sun and moon? I would have assumed that one as capable as yourself would have no trouble finding the required help.”
“Again, Your Majesty, that approach would not be long term either. We might be able to get the help needed but over time the same problem would occur, the strain that wielding the moon and sun causes would become too much. Even if we kept increasing the number of unicorns, that would leave to little of our population to see to other matters”
Clover stopped talking and looked at the King. “We need to find a different approach. The citizens already fear for the worst.”
King Cobalt glanced down at Clover from atop the throne. “And I suppose that changing the schedule of moving the sun and moon isn't possible, hmm?”
“I… pardon?”
“The celestial bodies are moved twice a day, are they not? Why not just alter the schedule? Move them, say, about once every three days.”
Clover stared dumbfounded at the king. There was being vain or silly, then there was being just plain stupid!
“That idea would have disastrous effects on the entire nation! If we change the schedule it would have a terrible effect on the farming, causing food shortages and droughts! And the seasons depend on the moving of the sun and moon as well! Don't get me started on-”
“Are you questioning me Clover?” The King glared down at Clover who immediately stopped her rant. The mare took a moment to calm herself down, knowing that she couldn’t risk saying something offensive.
“No your majesty. I am merely stating facts.”
“Good. Now then, I suggest you leave, while I attend to business.”
“But Your majesty-”
“Good day Clover.”
Clover stamped her hoof on the ground in frustration. Never, in her entire life had she met someone who made her so exasperated. And that was saying something, since she knew Platinum personally.
He was such… such a…
A dense Cabbage!
King Cobalt wasn’t a terrible ruler, considering he had kept the Kingdom of Unicornia united during the period of seemingly eternal winter. But he couldn’t be called a great leader either. All work he didn’t see fit to be done was pawned off to members of his court or his daughter, Princess Platinum.
Clover was lucky that the king had kept his nose stuck in the air for most of their conversation, or he would have seen her shaking her head in disbelief and rolling her eyes.
Clover was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn’t notice the pony who was walking toward her, absorbed in a dusty piece of parchment, before it was too late.
The two ponies collided into each other, scattering paper and scrolls across the marble floor. Clover groaned and put a hoof to her head as a frantic voice cried, “C-clover! I-I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”
“It’s okay Stygian,” Clover replied as she glanced at the grey stallion in front of her. “Accidents happen after all.”
Stygian nodded, obviously embarrassed before asking Clover in a small voice. “And… um… how are you today, Clover?”
“Could be better,” Clover answered as she levitated the scrolls into the air and passed them to stygian. “The meeting with the King wasn’t exactly… helpful.”
“Don’t take it personally, he doesn’t pay much attention to anypony. Well, other than his daughter Platinum.”
“Mm-hm.”
“A-anyway C-clover, if your not to b-busy sometime would, um, maybe-”
Clover let her eyes wander around the room as Stygian talked. After a brief moment they rested on a polished clock made of oak. She stared at it before her eyes widened when she realised the time on the clock; 6:30 pm.
“Sorry Stygian,” she said quickly, cutting him off. “It’s almost sunset, I’ll see you around!” And with that she ran out the hall.
The stallion sighed as he stared at the ground.
“Why do I even try…”
“Luna!” a voice called. The sound echoed throughout the grassy valley where a young unicorn mare was walking. Her coat (such a pale pink that it could have been mistaken for white) gleamed in the evening sun. The wind whipped back her glossy pink mane and her violet eyes squinted as she tried to look for her sister.
Eventually Celestia spotted her. Luna was sitting atop a grassy hill and staring at the sky. Celestia made her way over to her young sister. “Again?” she asked in a bored tone.
Luna turned to face her elder sister. “What do you mean, Again?” she asked in a slightly indignant tone. Celestia sighed.
“Luna, you look at the stars and moon every night! Don't you get, oh, I don't know, bored?”
“It’s called stargazing,” Luna answered as she looked into the sky. Sure enough, the stars could be seen among the clouds, becoming brighter as the minutes passed and the sun began its descent.
“They’re beautiful Celestia! How can you not see that? Oh- don’t get me started on the moon…”
“I didn’t say that they’re not beautiful Luna!” Celestia said. “It’s just… just-”
“You don’t understand my obsession with the night sky, is that it?” Luna said without even turning to face her sister. “Well, I like to think of it as destiny.” To emphasize her point, Luna stuck her flank in the air so that Celestia could see her cutie mark.
The elder sister sighed. At least Luna knew what her Cutie mark meant. Celestia on the other hoof, wasn’t so sure about her own. Sun? It would mean a number of things. The unicorn stared out into the distance as the sun’s rays dimmed. She let a small smile grace her face and sat down next to her sister.
“You’re right, it is beautiful.”