"We were supposed to get a princess." A dour stallion crossed his arms. "Instead—"
"She is a princess." A mare, just as large as the others in the room, nodded with a huff. "Just not one related to Celestia."
Another stallion stomped a hoof down. "I didn't know they even had any princesses that weren't so related! That was the plan. They aren't an alicorn. They don't have the power of one, and haven't passed the tests one must to become one. They sent us a simple mare."
The mare huffed at that. "And what is wrong with a 'simple mare'?"
The stallion had the manners to look a little embarrassed. "Sorry. You know this wasn't the plan. What do we do with her, send her back?"
The first stallion shook his head firmly. "They have followed the letter of our request. To return her would be an insult. Keep an eye on her. Perhaps she'll do us the favor and give is an excuse to send her away."
The mare huffed at that. "If she is rude, she has no place here. If she is incompetent in court, much the same."
All three of them shared a nod of solidarity. They would watch their new guest.
Blue Belle gazed from her new balcony. "I say." The view was spectacular, looking down on the city as she did. Even being made a princess was less impressive than her quarters in this strange land. She went back inside, letting the curtains fall closed behind her. The room she'd been assigned was very sparse.
"Hm." But, she supposed to herself, perhaps that was for the best. It was up to her to decorate it. She smiled with growing thoughts. Was that a test? She went to the door and peeked out into the hallway. Spotting a guard, as tall as most residents of that country, she waved him closer. "Pardon, but I was wondering—"
"Yes, Your Highness?" The guard dipped his head at the small nobility before them. "How can I help?"
Blue felt heat rise, holding back a giggle. Having power over such a large pony felt a little thrilling, if she was honest with herself. "I was hoping to secure a book, one that shows the local trends in decor. I would like to decorate properly, and just bringing Equestria here feels a bit uncouth."
"As you command, ma'am!" With a firm salute, the guard marched off to see it done.
Blue Belle continued to smile, even as the door shut. "Oh!" She was already having a blast, even if she did miss the comforts of home.
Blue Belle found herself in a library. It was not as grand as the Canterlot Archives, no. Auntie did love herself some books, even ones she didn't want the random pony to be reading. Still, it was quite the collection, and Blue slowly walked down the aisles, inspecting the spines of the tomes ready for her browsing. "I'll get that decorating book, but there are so many others here."
"My princess."
Blue jumped in surprise, coming down facing a pair of legs. Right. She looked upwards to find the face of that dashing stallion from earlier. "Ah! A pleasure to see you again."
"And I." He lowered himself, sinking to his belly, and still being larger than her. "We should meet, properly. We have words to share, my princess. You must be confused, perhaps scared. I would not have my princess feeling either of those things."
Blue felt heat rising in her cheeks. "What a gentlepony." More than that, that such care was directed specifically at her was a new thing. As a prince, only her servants cared so much, and often only hesitantly, as they were required. "We've scarcely met."
"If you are to be my bride, then we should meet far more than the curt greeting we began with." He looked past Blue. "What book were you searching for? Perhaps I could assist?"
"This one, about décor!" She waggled it out, glowing with her magic. "I should do my part to make this place more comfortable, don't you think?"
"Hm." The stallion rolled that word around in his mind for a moment. "Is your room not to your liking?" He rose to his hooves.
"Of course." She laughed tensely, working around her new prince. "Um, but." She trailed a moment with a new frown. "It was a little sparse. I thought that was intentional?"
"Sparse?" He nudged her, his touch gentle, as if Blue Belle could shatter if he used any real force. "May I see? I did not realize my princess would be so unhappy."
She flailed her hooves in a panic. "It's not your fault. I've only just arrived, so I—"
He stood tall, turning for the door.
With things decided, she tucked her new book away and marched past him to lead the way back to her room. "It's not in shambles, I assure. It's just in need of some decorating touches, you see?" She willed the door open, as large as everything else in that country. "Here we are. See?"
He swept inside, quickly pacing from point to point, eyes darting about. He soon stopped to let a frown form on his features. "Where are the furnishings?" He pointed to a spot. "There should be a dresser here." He glared at the bed. "They found one thing from Equestria, and it was a bed barely fit for noble blood?" He twirled on Blue, proving he was quite agile despite being such a massive creature. "You have my most heartfelt apologies, my princess. I will have the servants responsible punished for even showing you this room in this state."
Part of Blue liked that idea. Somepony suffering for slighting her? "Let's not be too hasty," she mumbled out instead. "You wanted to talk, did you not?"
He brightened at that. "Ah, yes." With a swat of his tail, he knocked the door shut, giving them some amount of privacy. "Thank you, my princess. Let us begin with the name you'd prefer me to address you with." He flashed a smile. "Unless you prefer 'my princess'."
Blue put a hoof to her fluttering chest. Why did his words stir such feelings? She stepped awkwardly in a little stationary shuffle. "I am Blue Belle, but to be addressed as Blue by a peer would be—" She forced a smile. "Entirely acceptable." And new, and daunting, but such was her responsibility. "And what is your name, I would ask?"
"Prince Sand Star." He dipped his head at that. "But you can call me Sand. If two betrothed ponies cannot use their first names, who could, I dare wonder?"
"Who indeed." Blue considered Sand in a new way. It was like having his name was enough to change how he appeared in her eyes. "Betrothed, that word. I am not used to it."
"If I may confess." He sank before her to his belly. "Me neither, Blue. This is daunting, but we'll face it, together? If you need anything, please, let me know. We're both scared, but, at least, I'm home. You've been far removed from yours. I feel like I owe you at least a helping hoof."
"I am grateful for the offer." Blue blushed deeply. "But you've already been so kind. It would not do for me to impose more on you."
"Please, I insist. This is the start of something beautiful." He leaned in, touching his large snout to her cheek. His breath was like a warm wind off the desert, ruffling her fur with the warm breeze. "You are, if I may admit, quite comely, Blue."
Blue attempted to change her name posthaste to Red, at least if the color of her cheeks was any hint. To be called pretty by another stallion. No, she was a she, a mare. They weren't 'another' stallion. They were just a stallion, and she, a mare. Their mare, actually. Their betrothed mare, that they thought was pretty. "T-thank you," Blue got out stammering. "And, um, you are—" What was the word she used to want as a stallion? "Handsome. I like your attire, dashing." She circled around, reaching with her magic to pluck gently at his desert attire. "This is quite striking, and you wear it very well. I feel you fill it out just right." She was glad the embarrassment was covering up how awkward her walk was.
"I think I am not the only one, mare of my dreams." He reached for her, never forcefully. It was more like he was cradling the most delicate of glass work. "I know this is an awkward time, for both of us. Let's get past it. Tomorrow night is a celebration of your arrival and my birthday." He grinned broadly. "How do you feel about birthdays?"
Blue perked up at that. "My birthday is coming up as well!" She twirled an ear back. "I say, if I may be so bold as to ask, how many birthdays have you celebrated?"
"Mmm." He brought a hoof to his chin. "Including the one we're about to, about two dozen."
Blue laughed at that, a merry and genuine sound. "We are about the same age then, how delightful. Perhaps we were born on the same day even. What sort of luck would that be?"
Sand touched his massive nose to her smaller one, carefully rubbing snouts. "Then, perhaps, we can blame all of this on destiny itself."
Blue felt her heard thumping loudly in her ears. "Please excuse me." She took a hesitant step back. "I should prepare myself, for dinner tonight, and, um."
"Say no more." Sand stood up tall. "I have pestered you far more than enough, Blue, my princess. Relax. Should you need anything, ask the guard outside. And if he cannot, have him call me, at any time of day or not. Rest well."
"Thank you." Blue's voice was as quiet as a whisper. She watched him leave and didn't move until the door closed. Only then did she collapse on her bed, on her back and kicking her legs back and forth. "I have a prince," she wailed to nopony in particular. "I have a prince." And she just wasn't sure how to feel about that. She had just been a prince such a short time ago. But then, she stopped being one, and had gotten one instead.
"For Equestria," she whispered to herself, trying to find her resolve.
She rolled off her bed to her hooves, lashing her tail. "I agreed to this." She looked back at her body, considering it. "Am I displeased with it?" She was still for a time before shaking her head, shallow, but faster with each sway. "No! No. I am still a noble. I was striking as a stallion, and now, enchanting as a mare." She giggled a little at that, cheeks reddening.
"I even like the notion." She trotted out onto the balcony, to savor that view that had captivated her earlier that day. "I'm just overwhelmed. Look at this place. It's not built for a pony like me." She sank to her haunches. "I have so much adjusting to do."
She laughed tensely. "At the least, my future prince appears to be a kind sort. I could have done far worse." She stood up and turned for inside. "Let's look on the bright side." With a glowing horn, she drew out her decorating book. "We have a room to manage."
She flipped through it, smiling at some of the illustrations and scowling at others. "This." She tapped at a page. "This looks just wonderful." She began planning out the layout, leaving little circles and crosses at different parts of her room. "Guard, if—" She didn't get to finish her request, the door open with that same guard looking in with concern. "Ah, very good. I was hoping you could assist."
She trotted over, book held up in her magic.
"I would like the things shown here, to be placed there." She indicated the marks she'd left behind.
The guard scanned quickly over the book, comically large compared to Blue, but just right for him. "Of course, ma'am. I will get this request to the right ponies." He reached for the book. "May I?"
"Of course." Blue Belle surrendered the book from her magic into the guard's waiting hooves. "We'll really make this place shine, yes?"
"Of course, ma'am." With a sharp salute, the guard headed out to make that happen.
Blue sighed with a pleased smile. "Step one, control where you sleep, at least."