//------------------------------//
// The Price Of Joy 
// Story: My Little Teelo: Winter's Silence 
// by Ardwolf 
//------------------------------//

In which Pinkie Pie gets bad news, Celestia loves and tolerates the crap out of trolls, and then eats a soufflé.



Faerie Mist took pity on the group and found a suite where they could settle down and sleep in peace. They didn’t wake up until a loud pounding on the suite’s door roused Teagan who had slept on a luxurious couch in the main room.

“Huh—what—hmm?” She struggled from a deep sleep to open bleary eyes.

The knock came again. It was loud and had overtones that promised the knocker would keep right on pounding until the door was opened. It had attitude, did that knock.

“All right, I’m coming, I’m coming!” Teagan yelled in annoyance. She stomped over to the door and yanked it open, revealing a blank-faced royal guard pony. 

“Lady Teagan, Princess Celestia extends her apologies and asks that you, Lieutenant Sanders, and Investigator Lewis attend her immediately.”

“What about Twilight and the others?” Teagan asked, rubbing her face with both hands to kick start her brain. 

“Her Highness wishes to allow the Bearers to rest as long as possible.” The guard said in a neutral voice that conveyed nothing.

“All right, let me get them. Won’t you come in?” Teagan offered. She tried to remember which doors the two humans were behind. Frankly, she hadn’t paid that much attention before crashing.

Her first guess was lucky. She found Evelyn curled in bed, sleeping peacefully.

“Hey, Evelyn.” Teagan said, shaking the woman gently. The PI woke with a start, twisting around quickly.

She relaxed when she saw it was only Teagan.

“What time is it?” She asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

“Mid-morning, I think.” Teagan said. “Princess Celestia wants to see us.”

“Why?” Evelyn sat up and stretched, cracking her shoulders. Like Teagan she’d slept fully dressed, she slipped out of bed and started putting on her shoes and socks. 

“The guard didn’t say.” Teagan said, watching as the woman grabbing the shoulder holster from the bedpost and slipped into it.

“Well, I’m ready. What about Matt and the Mane 6?” Evelyn asked, shrugging into her jacket.

“The princess wants to let the ponies sleep, just you, me and Matt.” Teagan said as she cautiously opened the second door, closing it softly when she found a snoring Applejack. Third time lucky she found Matt.

“Hey, Matt. Rise and shine, soldier boy.” She said from the doorway. One of the first things he’d taught her was never wake a soldier by touching them. 

“Out in two.” He responded, as though he’d already been awake for hours. She closed the door and went over to the pony patiently waiting just inside the door.

“Did the Princess happen to say why she wanted to see us?”

“No, Lady Teagan.” The guard responded. “Only that sooner would be better.”

“That doesn’t sound promising.” Evelyn commented worriedly.

Matt was out in considerably less than two minutes and the guard pony led them to a small room on the ground floor well away from the public part of the castle. There they found Princess Celestia, Subtle Dancer and a yellow pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail, although his colors were intermingled instead of Rainbow Dash’s spectrum. He had four birds for a cutie mark.

“Lady Teagan, I’m so sorry for disturbing your rest, but Sky Dancer has brought us grave news.” Princess Celestia said in a distracted voice.

“What happened?” She looked between the alicorn and the pegasus.

“Sky Dancer tell her what you told us.” 

“Yes, Your Highness.” The yellow pegasus said nervously. “I’d just landed in Frosty Meadows, that’s about a hundred miles southwest of here, when an earth pony named Swift Grass came thundering into the post office. He was lathered something fierce. He said an old pony named Tourmaline, a rock farmer’s widow, came into town and let out a shriek that woke everypony for miles.”

“He told me Tourmaline told them everypony in Rockton was turned to stone! All except her, that is. She woke up and found them that way. Said they was green and icy-smooth, not like normal cockatrice victims. Said whatever it was tore the roofs open to get inside the houses. But she never heard nothin’ cause she’s kind of deaf now.”

Teagan felt her stomach clench. The look on her face made Sky Dancer take a step back.

“I flew all the way here without stopping! Swift Grass, well he like to have collapsed he ran so hard. I’m just tellin’ you what he told me, ma’am.”

“Tišina?” She asked Celestia, dreading the answer.

“It appears so. However from what I can gather she attacked Rockton before she came here.” The princess replied.

“You know who did it, Your Highness?” Sky Dancer asked, wide eyed. His wings fluttered a bit before refolding.

“I believe so, Sky Dancer. Fly back to Frosty Meadows and let them know I will be coming on the morrow to render assistance.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!” The pegasus said gratefully, wings flaring in joy. “Right away, Princess!” He trotted out of the room, Celestia staring after him with her mouth half open as though she had been planning to say something more.

“Very eager to please.” Matt noted with a small smile.

The sound of hesitant hooves announced the return of the downcast pegasus.

“Um, Princess? Which way is out?” He asked, not daring to meet her eye.

“Please escort Sky Dancer to the nearest landing platform.” She instructed a royal guard. Without changing expression the guard bowed and led the self-conscious pegasus away.

“Poor guy.” Teagan said, shaking her head. “So, Your Highness, why did you want to meet with just us and not the Mane 6?”

“Mane 6?” Celestia asked, blinking.

“Um, the Bearers, Your Highness.” Evelyn said quickly. “On the—um—well, there are six of them you see and they get the most attention. It’s a bit of a brony pun.” 

“I see.” The princess said carefully. “Thank you, Evelyn. I must admit bronies and pegasisters have some—unusual—vocabulary.”

“We do.” Evelyn admitted. “Your Highness, would I be wrong to think there’s a reason you didn’t want the ponies here for this? Pinkie Pie in particular?”

“You know something?” Teagan asked the PI curiously.

“I hope I’m wrong. Rockton, where rock farmers live? Ring any bells?” Evelyn asked with a raised eyebrow. It took Teagan a second.

“Oh God. Pinkie’s parents. And her sisters…in Rockton, right?” Teagan asked the princess, who nodded sadly. “No wonder you didn’t want her to know. She’s already on the edge—this could put her in full Flat Hair mode.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Evelyn said, nodding. “Cupcakes-level Flat Hair mode.”

Teagan shuddered.

“Am I the only one who’s not been briefed on this?” Matt asked mildly.

“Pinkamena is a wonderful pony, Lieutenant. She is the Bearer of Laughter.” Princess Celestia said carefully. “But sometimes, well, she gets a bit—upset.”

“I think the word you’re groping for is psychotic, Your Highness.” Evelyn said. “Matt, something like this? Losing her family? Think Gotham City. Think Joker. Think Sweeny Todd.”

“Oh. That would be bad.” He said with barely a pause.

“No, really?” Evelyn said drily. “You do have a gift for understatement. Pinkie Pie’s been known to break the fourth wall, Matt.”

“Not to mention Twilight “Magical Prodigy” Sparkle has completely given up trying to figure out how Pinkie pulls off half of the stunts she does.” Teagan put in. “We don’t want Pinkie—upset. Oh dear.” She fell silent, looking at the ceiling.

“Whatcha doing, guys?” Pinkie asked, grinning while hanging upside down from the ceiling via large suction cups strapped to her hooves.


ooOoo


Tišina was lost in concentration, planning best how to accomplish her goal. She no longer wept, no longer trembled. Had anyone been present and able to see her in the inky blackness of the cave they would have seen her apparently immobile, staring at nothing.

In reality she was allowing her body to heal. It had been twelve hours since her disastrous attempt to kill that annoying horse. Her eye was nearly complete again, the lead slug that had damaged it having already been pushed out. 

In a way that small bit of lead bothered her more than losing her eye had. There was no hint of corruption around the pellet, which meant it had not been propelled by magic. Nor did the sore places on her back where the other pellets had struck bear any hint of corrupt aura.

If the pellets had not been propelled by magic they must have been propelled using natural laws. Tišina had no idea which laws had been used, but it seemed likely some kind of fire was involved. While fire was not her preferred element she was not against its use, even by the lesser races. Of course that was as long as it wasn’t used against her.

But that posed a puzzle. The pink pony that had swatted her from the sky reeked of magic and worse, chaos, just like her beloved enemy. But the explosions that crippled her wing had been magic-free.

Only one of the three tiny exotic creatures was tainted by magic, the female that always carried the club across her back. It was the club that was the source of the corruption. The older male had been there, using some kind of weapon. She supposed he was the source of the lead pellets. 

He would have to die, of course, for the insult to her person. But the younger female came first, and before her that damnable horse. 

Of course once Tišina accomplished her goal everything would be resolved anyway…

But still, it was clear the tiny exotics came from a place where magic was not practiced. Tišina sighed in longing. Such a place would be heaven to her. This current world had already been consumed by Hell, so let it burn. But if there was another world…

She returned to designing the intricate portal array that would bring this world’s fate to pass, a sense of fragile peace in her traumatized soul letting her concentrate.


ooOoo


“Good morning, Pinkamena.” Princess Celestia said, outwardly serene. “Would you like to join us? You must be hungry.”

“Thanks!” Pinkie splooched noisily across the ceiling and down the wall, pausing to remove her suction cups. Matt’s expression showed only mild interest and Evelyn was poker faced.

After her initial shock Teagan forced herself to assume a mild expression, though inwardly she was cringing.

“Are your friends awake yet?” The princess asked with a warm smile.

“Nope. Rainbow Dash just muttered about how random I was then turned over and went back to sleep. I figured the others needed their beauty rest but I was too bored to sleep. So I tried out my new ceiling walkers and came looking for you guys!” She beamed at them happily. “So whatcha doin’?”

“Pinkie, mind if I ask you a question?” Matt asked in a calm friendly voice.

“Ooh! Are we playing 20 questions? I love that game!” Pinkie enthused. “Sure Matt! It’s bigger than a breadbox!” 

Matt considered her answer seriously for a moment, and then said, “No, Pinkie what I wanted to ask was how you felt about Tišina.”

“She’s a big bad Meanie.” Pinkie said, sticking out her tongue. “She’s worse than Discord. She needs to be taught a lesson so she doesn’t try to hurt the Princess ever again.”

“And how would you do that, Pinkie?” Matt asked mildly. 

“Use the Elements of Harmony and turn her to stone, just like Discord.” The pink pony’s answer was immediate. “Make sure to put her to sleep first, though. We can’t be mean to her.”

“So using Berry Fudge Gumball isn’t being mean?” He asked lightly, a smile playing around his mouth.

“She’s tough.” Pinkie snorted. “I mean I’d never use Berry on a pony! Not even a dragon, ‘cause it could hurt them. But Tišina’s different, she’s like Discord.”

“How did you know that?” Matt asked, tilting his head. Teagan watched him interrogate Pinkie so skillfully she doubted anyone but herself and Evelyn knew what he was doing.

“Cause the Princess said she was Discord’s sister.” Pinkie replied. “So that means she’s just like him. Well, except she has absolutely no sense of humor.” Pinkie made a face. “Discord might have been a big Meanie but at least he was fun! Tišina’s just a big mean party-pooper!”

“I thought she told us about Tišina being Discord’s sister after the battle?” Matt said, seemingly puzzled.

“Really?” Pinkie seemed baffled for a moment, and then her face lit up. “Oh, that reminds me! Princess, will there be cupcakes for breakfast? ‘Cause I’m really hungry!” She turned toward Celestia and gave her big puppy-dog eyes.

Not, Teagan was relieved to see, her trademark weaponized version, just big hopeful pools of blue with pupils so large you could swim in them...

Princess Celestia laughed and her horn glowed. After a moment the door opened and Fairie Mist stuck her head through.

“Yes, Your Highness?” She asked politely.

“Fairie Mist, would you be kind enough to have breakfast brought to the East room? Make sure there are cupcakes as well, and could you manage a soufflé for me? Wake the Bearers and have them join us, please.”

“At once, Your Highness.” Fairie Mist bobbed her head and withdrew, closing the door behind her.

“So you don’t hate Tišina?” Matt asked, resuming the interrogation.

“Hate her? I don’t hate anypony, Silly!” Pinkie said. “My talent is making ponies laugh and have fun. Hating somebody isn’t any fun. So I don’t.”

“I guess you’re right. But sometimes people can do bad things. Like when Discord tried to hurt the princess, or humiliate the Squirt here, or hurt Fluttershy.”

Pinkie shrugged. “That wasn’t really Discord, you know. It was Nightmare. And the Princess dealt with that. Nopony ended up hurt in the end—well, except for Nightmare. And nopony cares about Nightmare. I’m glad Discord got to go to sleep. He wasn’t having any fun. I guess the world just changed too much from what he was used to.”

Matt studied the pony who stared back, grinning.

“This is a fun game, Matt. What’s it called?” Pinkie asked.

“Self Reflection.” He answered without missing a beat. “I enjoy playing it, I’m glad you like it. Want to play some more?”

“Sure!” She said enthusiastically.

“How good are you at handling bad news?” He asked. Was it Teagan’s imagination or did the Princess stiffen just a bit? Subtle Dancer definitely did, eyes narrowing. But he took his lead from Celestia and said nothing.

“Pretty good. I mean there’s different kinds of bad news. Like the time my sister Inkie dropped the rock she wanted to give her friend Dewdrop and it broke. That was bad news! She was glooming around for almost a day, and so terrified at how her friend would take it. She never even picked up the pieces until she finally showed Dewdrop what had happened. Dewdrop picked up a piece and found it was a geode! So the bad news had a happy ending.”

“Or take the time that Discord kidnapped Teelo. That was really bad news! Only ‘cause he did that we got to meet a new friend! So the bad news was actually good news in the end!”

“Have you ever had really bad news, news so bad you couldn’t deal with it?” 

“Well, once.” Pinkie admitted uncomfortably. “When I thought my friends didn’t like my parties and didn’t want to be my friends anymore. But I was just being silly! It turns out the reason they were avoiding me was because they wanted to throw me a surprise party! I learned a valuable lesson that day. Always trust your friends, because your friends always have your best interests at heart!”

She tilted her head. “So what bad news do you want to give me, Matt?”

“What makes you think I have bad news, Pinkie?”

“I’m goofy, not stupid.” She said, chuckling. “And Self Reflection isn’t the only game I know, you know. I know lots of games.” She gave Matt the most adorable smile.

“I need you to promise me you won’t do something—rash.” Matt said, turning serious. “The ladies seem to think you’ll take it badly.”

“What do you think?” She asked, trying to make a serious face, but dissolving into laughter.

“I think you can handle it.” Matt said, sitting back and relaxing.

“So? What’s this terrible news?” She asked, taking a deep breath and calming down.

“Princess?” Matt inquired. 

“I trust your judgment in this, Matthew.” She said after the briefest hesitation. The soldier nodded.

“Pinkie, it appears Tišina attacked Rockton last night before she attacked us. Everyone in your village was turned to stone except for Tourmaline.”

“Really?” Pinkie asked, blinking. “Why did you think I’d be upset?”

“You aren’t?” Matt asked, letting his surprise show for just an instant.

“Of course not! I mean Twilight got turned to stone, and so did one of Fluttershy’s chickens. Discord’s been stoned three times now. So why should I be upset? Princess Celestia will turn them back and then everything will be Okie-dokie-lokie! Of course, with some of the ponies in Rockton it might be hard to tell.” She giggled. “They have such hard heads already!”

Teagan breathed a sigh of relief, sharing a glance with Evelyn.

They missed the flash of unease that crossed Celestia’s face.

“Well, everypony, why don’t we move this to the East room so we can eat?” Celestia asked brightly.

Pinkie fell in with Matt and started chatting happily to him. Evelyn listened with half an ear as she fell back to pace the Princess. Teagan started talking to Subtle Dancer quietly.

“Can you turn them back, Your Highness?” The PI asked in a low voice.

“I don’t know.” The princess admitted. “If they had been stoned by an ordinary cockatrice it would be simple enough. Even the stoning from the Elements of Harmony can be undone. If Tišina’s venom turned them to stone the spell I used to escape should free them. But I can’t know for sure until I try.”

“I’m worried that Tišina might try a direct attack while you’re traveling to Rockton.” Evelyn murmured. “Berry Fudge Gumball is the only weapon we have that can hurt her. But that means you’d have to take Pinkie with you. If you can’t manage to turn them back—well, it would be bad. Really, really bad. You’d lose the Elements of Harmony.”

“How do you know all this, Investigator Lewis?” The princess asked curiously. “I’m confused how you seem to know Pinkamena so intimately, yet you only met her yesterday.”

“How much do you know about bronies, Your Highness?” Evelyn asked, debating where she wanted this conversation to go and how much credibility she was going to lose in the next few minutes.

“Not a great deal, only what Lady Teelo and you have said on the subject. Bronies are friends of Equestria. They seem to know a great deal about us, which I don’t understand. The Bridge of Days has been closed for over a thousand years. Our realms are completely separate.”

“Not completely.” Evelyn said carefully. “I honestly don’t know the details, but clearly someone can see what happens in Equestria. That someone obviously become involved with people in my world who create—well I guess you’d call them plays, Your Highness. They aren’t exactly plays like you have here, but the concept is similar. These plays are created using an optical illusion called animation. If you draw a bunch of drawings, say a galloping pony, and you make each one just a little different, then when you ruffle through the drawings quickly it gives the illusion that the pony is actually moving.”

“I’ve seen that trick before.” Celestia said, nodding. 

“Good, then you know what I’m talking about. We call plays made this way cartoons. So far there have been a series of about 50 of these cartoons made, starting with Twilight Sparkle coming to Ponyville and ending with the defeat of the Queen of the Changelings and the royal wedding. That’s about two years worth of plays.”

“Hmm. And these plays show the lives of Twilight and her friends?” Celestia asked.

“In great detail, Your Highness.” Evelyn confirmed.

“How great a detail, Investigator Lewis?” Celestia asked with a hint of concern in her voice. Evelyn hesitated before taking the plunge.

“Enough detail that I heard you tell Twilight to run when Fluttershy stampeded the animals through the Gala.” Evelyn said. “The really uncanny part is your real voice and the voice used in the plays are identical. Not just you, but everyone else as well. Twilight, Fluttershy, even Luna. I mean, Princess Luna.” She corrected herself hastily.

Princess Celestia chuckled.

“I find it refreshing to hear someone neglect my sister’s title.” She confided. “I love her dearly, but Luna tends to be so formal all the time.”

Evelyn kept reminding herself the alicorn pacing beside her was a thousand years old. She was a princess, a ruling sovereign, and a sun goddess. Celestia’s friendly manor made it easy to forget all that. But other ponies did not take kindly to people being too familiar with their princess.

“The royal wedding was six months ago.” Princess Celestia said, continuing the conversation. “And I sent Twilight to Ponyville nearly four years ago.” 

“Hmm. I guess it takes time to convert the news from Equestria into cartoons.” Evelyn responded. “Cartoon episodes happen once a week, for twenty-six weeks a year. That gives the cartoonists time to create new ones.”

“I suppose such art forms would be time consuming.” The princess said thoughtfully. She walked several more paces before speaking again.

“Have you seen enough in these cartoons to understand Pinkamena then?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Evelyn said, nodding. “Pinkie is a brony favorite, but there’s no question her stability is—fragile.”

“I see. How fragile, exactly?” Her tone was neutral, and still friendly, but something made Evelyn wary.

“I believe she could turn violent, Your Highness. Dangerously so, even to her friends.”

“How dangerous?” Celestia asked in a tone that brooked no evasion.

“Cruel and vicious. Murderous. Even cannibalistic.”  Evelyn said quietly.

“Pinkamena?” Celestia asked incredulously, a little louder than she intended.

“Yes, Princess?” Pinkie asked over her shoulder, smiling happily.

“What flavor cupcakes are your favorites?” Celestia asked, flawlessly shifting gears. There was no hint of the shock she’d just felt.

“Oh, gee, that’s a toughie!” The pony replied. “They’re all so yummy! I love the strawberry ones, and the vanilla ones, and the chocolate ones and the—”

“And the cupcake ones?” Teagan teased.

“Yeah! Those are my favorites! The cupcake flavored ones, Your Highness!” Pinkie said, grinning. 

“Thank you, Pinkamena.” Celestia said smoothly. Pinkie Pie returned to her conversation and Celestia picked up where she and Evelyn had left off.

“I can’t believe even under the most extreme circumstances that Pinkamena could descend to that level of hideous behavior, Investigator Lewis.” She said quietly.

“If it were any other pony I’d agree with you, Your Highness.” Evelyn said equally quietly. “But Pinkie Pie isn’t like other ponies. She’s an earth pony that can use oddball magic that not even unicorns can. She breaks the fourth wall, and her mental instability is a constant subject of debate in the brony community.”

“What do you mean by breaking the fourth wall?” Celestia asked curiously. “I’ve heard you and Lady Teelo use the expression a number of times.”

“It means that in the cartoon she talks to the audience.” Evelyn said. “You understand? She speaks directly to the bronies.”

“Really?” Celestia blinked. “Surely that’s artistic license? The artists having a joke? She can’t know about the watchers, surely?”

“Before yesterday I knew Equestria was just a story created to sell little pony figurines, Your Highness. Today I know Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria. What will I know tomorrow?”

“Hmm.” The princess looked thoughtful. “We could always ask her about the fourth wall, I suppose.” 

“This is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about, Your Highness. Do you really want to know?” Evelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Good point.” Celestia admitted. “She’s always been—different. But I cannot believe she’d ever hurt anyone.”

“Tell that to Discord and Tišina.” Evelyn said drily. “Pinkie’s awfully fond of big booms, Your Highness. Now I freely admit it would take a serious blow to her psyche to make her lose it. But I saw her that time she thought she’d lost her friends. It wasn’t pretty. If she thought she lost her entire family—well it worries me. A lot.”

“I’ll keep your concerns in mind, Investigator. But I must say I don’t envy you having to think the way you do just to do your job.”

They came into the East room to find a large array of food spread out.

“Oh, I don’t know, Your Highness.” Evelyn broke into a radiant smile. “It has its high points. I got to meet you. Do you know how many bronies would give their eye teeth to do that?”

“Oh dear. Really?” Celestia seemed to take Evelyn’s comment literally and it clearly disturbed her. “Well, Evelyn, we should eat before the food gets cold.”

These bronies are the strangest creatures I’ve ever met, she thought to herself as she spotted a dish with the royal sun on it. Her mouth watered, it had been a long time since lunch.

I’ll worry about it after I eat. She firmly put aside her cares long enough to lift the lid and look lovingly at her soufflé. She was just about to take a bite of the delectable egg and cheese concoction when she spotted Faerie Mist bearing down on her.

Or rather heard her.

How a pony so light on her hooves can stomp like that is amazing. She should be bouncing in the air with every step, she thought, wondering what had put the pegasus in such a foul mood.

Celestia watched her lady-in-waiting advance, each delicate hoof striking the floor with a loud crack. It sounded like an angry thunderstorm approaching. 

Remembering her food Celestia rapidly stuffed the morsel in her mouth so she’d at least get to taste her dinner. From the flashes of light accompanying those thunderous hoof impacts against marble Celestia could tell the pegasus was so upset her innate weather magic was manifesting itself. 

That couldn’t be good.

By now everyone in the room had turned to watch the lavender pony approach the princess.

“Your Highness.” Faerie Mist bowed stiffly, wings raised slightly from her back. Little sparks danced in her yellow mane and over her feathered wings.

“Hello, Faerie Mist. Thank you for finding this delicious soufflé for me. I’m famished.” Celestia said in an innocent tone, taking another bite.

“The troll delegation has returned, Your Highness.” She growled. “They demand an audience. Immediately.”

“Do they?” Celestia asked coolly. “Snøskred Mot Lyn hasn’t had time to return to his king. I can’t imagine what brings them back to Canterlot so soon.” She took another bite of her soufflé, considering the matter.

“Very well. Assemble the court, Faerie Mist. Make sure the entire council is there, as well as all nobles of the rank of baron or higher. We must honor our guests properly. It would be an insult to greet the Snøskred with anything less than a full court, would it not?” Celestia smiled gently. 

“That might take some time, Your Highness.” Faerie Mist’s wings had folded and the sparks no longer danced in her mane or around her feet. A small smile was playing around her muzzle.

“Really? How unfortunate. How long do you think it will take?” Celestia asked in concern, her eyes twinkling.

“At least a day, Princess. Many of the nobles have left the court and would have to be summoned from the countryside.”

“Oh dear. Well, at least we can provide the Snøskred and his party accommodations for the night.” Celestia smiled. “How unfortunate that the Ghrian suite is no longer free. Lady Teelo and her companions will be using it for the foreseeable future. Between the three humans and the six Bearers there’s no other suite large enough. I surely could not insult the troll delegation by asking them to share the suite. No, that absolutely would not do.”

“I believe the Gealaí Suite is available. It’s not quite as lavish, of course…” By now the lavender pegasus’s eyes were dancing.

“I’m sure the Snøskred will understand if we tell him the Ghrian suite is being used by the wielder of Mountain Heart.” Celestia said. “He is, after all a reasonable creature.”

Faerie Mist’s eyebrows rose.

“For a troll.” Celestia added belatedly. “I trust you’ll have Pinstripe Tock make the arrangements?”

“I’ll ask him to arrange it personally, Your Highness.” There was laughter lurking in her words.

The thought of Pinstripe Tock advising the Snøskred of the situation made Celestia pause, somewhat concerned.

“Better have Shining Armor at that meeting as well.” Celestia said delicately. “We must make sure the trolls know we hold their security as our highest priority.” 

“I understand, Your Highness. Enjoy your dinner.” Faerie Mist bowed, but not before the Princess saw the smirk on her lady-in-waiting’s face.

“Thank you, Faerie Mist. I certainly plan to.” 

As the pegasus withdrew Celestia returned to her delicious meal, firmly putting aside her duties and concerns long enough to finish the soufflé. She rewarded herself with the rare indulgence of two spice cupcakes, courtesy of the Snøskred’s return. 

But all too soon it was time for her to worry why the troll had done so…