After the walk through the woods that now had the ground littered with lovely orange leaves, Fire led his mother to Warm Heart Tower. A trumpet sounded as Celestia entered. She looked around the entry way and saw Fire’s throne toward the back as well as the decorations featuring her cutie mark as well as her sisters.
“Oh, Fire this is quite exquisite,” Celestia said.
“Thanks Mom,” Fire said.
She looked closer at the tapestries. “Who made these for you?”
“Rarity,” Fire told her.
“The white unicorn who likes fashion correct?” Celestia sked.
“Yeah,” Fire said with a small smile as he thought of her. “She is very talented. Also, that reminds me she wants to someday be a royal fashion designer.”
“Hmm. Perhaps I can arrange for her to take up lessons with the royal tailor,” Celestia said. “Though she’d probably graduate pretty quickly with this kind of talent. I imagine making lovely things is her special talent.”
“Yes,” Fire confirmed. “She makes very beautiful outfits, and is very beautiful herself.”
Celestia looked at him, a smile soon forming. “Oh, so you like the prettiest mares, do you?”
Fire chuckled. “I guess. But beauty on the inside is just as if not more important than the outside. Did you know she gave up her tail for a sea serpent while I was captured by Nightmare Moon? And she also made me the tapestries for the free the first time.”
“That was quite generous of her,” Celestia noted. “It seems she truly represents her Element. Are you going to take her to the Grand Galloping Gala?”
Fire sighed. “I would, but she likes Prince Blueblood.”
“Oh dear,” Celestia said. “Never easy when somepony you like likes somepony else.”
“I’ll be taking my friend Moondancer instead,” Fire said.
“Oh yes I remember her, my best student after Twilight,” Celestia said.
“I do value intelligence,” Fire said. “And a good heart.”
Celestia nodded. “Important qualities to look for.”
She looked down. Fire knew what she was probably thinking.
“Were those qualities that my father had?” he asked.
“Yes,” Celestia said simply.
Fire approached her. “Please Mom, I want to know-
“He is alive and well,” Celestia promised. “But you must understand, you were not born out of love. I was drunk that night, your father as well. We laid together that night, that’s all.”
“I know,” Fire sighed. “At least give me his name.”
“All you need to know is that he is a good stallion and powerful warrior who is now living his days out peacefully,” Celestia told. “I promise I will tell you when you turn eighteen.”
“Why? That’s still nearly two years away!” Fire objected. “Why do I have to wait so long?”
“Fire!” Celestia fixed him with a stern expression.
Fire sighed, knowing the conversation about his father was over. “Yes Mother.”
She put her regal smile back on. “Now if you would be so kind as to show me the rest of your home?”
Fire nodded. He led her into the kitchen nearby. As he walked casually, she snuck a peek through her eyes as she held her head up high.
“Fire, you are walking like a common pony. Hold your head up with pride!”
“Mom, I don’t like looking like I’m stuck up or better then anypony else,” Fire said.
“FIRE SWORD, YOU WALK LIKE A PROPER PRINCE OF CANTERLOT THIS INSTANT!” Celestia ordered sternly once again.
Fire sighed and shifted his neck to an uncomfortable position. He’d hated walking like this when he was in Canterlot. The move to Ponyville had allowed him to take a long break from it. Many of the other Canterlot
“Good,” Celestia said. “Many of the nobles think you lack proper etiquette and are merely a royal with little manners.”
Fire scoffed. Like I care what those stuck-up snobs think. They don’t care about other classes of ponies and think themselves above them.
Still, he complied with his mother’s wish. He lifted his nose into the air and closed his eyes, which he was told made him appear regal and a proper son of Celestia. He’d accepted it for a time when he’d been young. But whenever he looked at the nobles around Canterlot walking in a similar manner, carrying themselves with pride and often barely glancing at those (or anything) around them, he felt disgusted. It looked as though they were thinking themselves superior and that other ponies weren’t worth a look. Also it came with the risk of bumping into things, and Fire didn’t like that.
He showed his mother his room. She saw the red bed and the sword that was the new element of Harmony above it. Fire had also added some artwork and pictures on the walls, one of him, his mother and Cadance. Another showed him and his class from Canterlot, Moondancer and Twilight among them.
“Very fitting color for my son,” she said looking at the bed. “And that sword suits you as well.”
“Yeah,” Fire agreed. Red suited him.
He then showed her to the guest room. She looked at the bed in there.
“Just the right size for me I see,” she said.
“Yeah, in case you ever stayed the night,” Fire told her.
She smiled. “I might do that at some point, but afraid I will have to get back to Canterlot by sundown.”
“I understand Mother,” Fire said.
Celestia did a quick flap of her wings though and dropped onto the bed. “Ah so comfortable!”
They had dinner prepared soon and sat at Fire’s dining table. As they ate Fire remembered her comment just after the race and asked her, “Were you… hoping I would fall for Twilight, Mother?”
“Maybe,” Celestia said winking at him.
That was obviously a yes.
“I did think that she might make a good match for you,” Celestia admitted. “You were both very studious and talented in magic. Plus, I think she can be a real looker as well don’t you agree?”
“She is… pretty,” Fire admitted. “And I admire her abilities and intelligence. But I never really thought of her as a love interest. Though since we’ve started spending more time together here I’ve come to enjoy her company. Sometimes she feels almost like a little sister.”
“I see,” Celestia said with an accepting smile. “Well, I had at times hoped that she would perhaps become my daughter in law. But that’s alright. I consider her like my own daughter, and she might actually become my niece in law! Which would make her your cousin in law!”
“What do you mean?” Fire asked confused.
“Don’t tell her, but Cadance is dating her brother!” Celestia said.
Fire’s golden eyes widened. He recalled Cadance had a special somepony who was also the captain of the Royal Guard, but he’d never known he was Twilight’s brother.
“Cadance wants to surprise Twilight with the news sometime!” Celestia said.
“From what I’ve heard Cadance has been dating her special somepony for a while now,” Fire said. “Better not wait till the wedding!”
Celestia giggled. “You might be right! Twilight will probably be mad at her brother by then! I’d sure be mad if Luna kept something like that from me!”
Mother and son laughed. They soon finished their food and Celestia got up. “Thank for the lovely meal my son.”
She kissed him on the forehead then turned to his servants and smiled. “And thank you for preparing it as well.”
“Of course, your highness!” Swift Cuisine said with a bow.
“I hope to see you in Canterlot soon,” Celestia said.
Fire nodded. “I should probably come and visit you… and Aunt Luna! Hearth’s Warming for sure but we’ll see about sooner.”
Celestia smirked. “And don’t forget your friends as well! Important to include both friends and family.”
Fire nodded once more. “I’ll see what plans they have and see how I can divide it up. I do want to see Cadance and Aunt Luna though.”
“They’ll love to see you as well,” Celestia assured her son as she nuzzled him. “Luna is very grateful to you for freeing her. See you soon my warm-hearted son. And I do hope you will find somepony special, whoever it is.”
Fire nodded. “Thanks Mom.”
“Now I must get back to Canterlot and check on the levitation of the leaves there. Shining Armor, Twilight’s brother and Cadance’s special somepony was left in charge of that.”
Fire made a bit of a forced smile. Even though he’d moved on from his crush on Cadance he couldn’t help feeling a little jealous that somepony else was with her. But most of him felt happy for her to be with somepony.
“Give my love to Cadance and Aunt Luna!” Fire called.
“I will!” Celestia promised as she exited the tower’s doors.
Fire then headed up the stairs for some reading before bed. His mind did however, wander back to the Unicorn thief that was still out there somewhere. Fire wondered what he could be planning to steal or commit crimes of next.
…
In Canterlot, the captain gave orders as Gold Steel watched in the streets. He was lucky to be off duty today and could enact his plan.
“Alright everypony! We need to be ready for the Levitation of the Leaves here!” Shining Armor said. “The royal guard will be organizing a parade in the city. Even though Princess Celestia will be going to another location this year she still expects us to put on a good show! Do you understand?”
“Yes sir!” the royal guards saluted.
Gold watched their movements as they all carried their orders. All these mindless guards, they were nothing compared to him. They had power and didn’t know how to use it. They simply stood around watching… nothing occur. They just stood around empty hallways with no threats coming, only arresting the occasional thief. But not him, he was too smart and too magical for them to catch. He meanwhile was thriving with riches and would soon get even richer once he claimed what was his.
He just needed a bit more, and with the help he would soon bring it would go quicker. He got up from the table he was sitting at and headed out to enact his plan.
Gold made his way into the dungeons of Canterlot Castle. Tartarus was the most famous dungeon of course as it housed dangerous monsters, but rarely ponies. Only those that committed the crime of high treason were ever sent to Tartarus. For ponies that broke the law, they were put in here, just above the ancient caverns that had been sealed off except for perhaps some hidden entrance somewhere.
Gold approached the jailor who had a cutie mark of a jail cell with an eye on it.
“I’ll be taking over now, Bar Watcher,” Gold said.
The jailor saluted him and then went off to take his break. These guards were such simpletons, obeying any order without question from their princess and even follow guards. They sprung at the chance to get off their post. Not that Gold could blame them. Things were often boring and they didn’t get much action here in the palace.
He soon walked among the cells. Most of them were empty as there were weren’t many criminal ponies. But there were a few, however, these were small time. The big-time criminals were kept in a level just below. It was unusual for a single crime to qualify one as a big time, but in this case, they’d become big time failures almost instantly. Robbing a prince? What were they thinking? He soon entered it and found the trio of thieves in their cell. that had robbed Prince Sword’s Tower certainly qualified as they’d stolen and tried to blackmail royalty. They wouldn’t stay there long at least, not when compared to the only other stallion that had been put in there a long time ago.
Gold looked at the trio of thieves who all looked at him in surprise.
“Who are you?” the leader of the thieves, Bright Wane asked. “Just another guard here to look down on us?”
“Actually I’m your ticket out of here,” Steel told them.
“What?”
“That’s right I’m getting you out of here and I have a place you can stay… for a time at least.” Gold promised. “You help me and I’ll make sure nopony finds you guys again.”
“It’s a deal!” Bright agreed eagerly.
The other two nodded excitedly. Gold then looked at the bars. While he could take over the jailor’s shift he didn’t get his keys. The Earth Pony’s were strong but not enough to break down steel. Unicorn prisoners also received horn rings that prevented them from using magic to teleport or break out. But Steel did know a certain spell that could weaken metal, make it brittle.
He lit up his horn which shined yellow. He shot it at the bars, the aura shined around them.
“Wait a few minutes then head to the door,” he told them. “Hit me as you make your way out.”
“What?” Swipe asked.
“Or they’ll know,” Gold told them. “Just act casual once you get out. Don’t talk to any of the guards.”
Good thing the prisoners didn’t have to wear uniforms or anything. Gold told them where his house was, confident he could teleport back in time before they had the chance to-
“You try and steal from my place… I’ll teleport you all straight into the sky and you’ll fall hundreds of feet!” he threatened before lighting his horn up again.
Each of them glowed with a mark that matched his cutie mark.
“What is this?” the last one, Gray asked.
“I’ve marked you,” Steel told them. “Now I’ll be able to teleport straight to you if I want to.”
That left them with no choice but to comply to his ever word. They bowed their heads, seeing they had no way out. He’d give them freedom, but they were utterly incapable of double crossing him. He was too smart, too skilled in magic.
Gold headed back to the jailor’s desk. He heard a faint crash downstairs, almost unnoticeable. He waited, and soon they came. The trio of thieves burst through the door and didn’t slow down. Gold kept his eyes on them as Bright thrusted a hoof out at him as he ran with the other two trailing at his hooves. He shoved Gold out of the desk and Gold hit the ground, looking up as they made their way out. He laid there, making it look as though the blow had perhaps knocked him out. He waited a good ten minutes before pretending to come to. He ran out and alerted the other guards.
“Prisoners have escaped!” he yelled to the first ones he saw.
A search was quickly put into place. But Gold Steel knew they would never think to look in one of their fellow members houses. They’d search the castle and streets of Canterlot first. Gold Steel teleported back to his home, which he would eventually sell once he got the house of his lineage. Gold teleported back home and found his guests waiting in the living room.
“Alright, you thieves will work for me now!” Gold told them. “We’ll strike it rich soon I promise. With my magic, brains and you three as a few minions I’m sure no pony can stop us… except for perhaps Celestia! But I’ll be able to keep tabs on her and her guards and keep you out of trouble. When we’re done, I’ll ensure you have places at my new residence where you’ll be paid well as long as I reside there.”
Bright Wane grinned. “As long as I’m paid well, I suppose I’ll be content!”
He looked at his fellow thieves. Perhaps they could still weasel something out of this unicorn in time.