Let the Silence Sing
Part 2: Tip-Toe
Celestia swooped one way, then another, then back again in the sky. It had once again been all-too-easy to sneak out of Canterlot to her new napping spot. Wards and locks kept her room sealed, and nopony would ever be the wiser. Chuckling as she coasted a few thermals, invisible and achy in a few places, she adjusted her wings when she spotted the apple orchard.
Casting her gaze out over the many, many trees the Princess saw a big red stallion among them bucking trees. He’d approach, buck, collect the fallen apples in a bucket, then move on to the next. When a row was done, he’d put them in a wagon and move on to the next row. He was hot and sweaty, but seemed to be going at an even pace. How nice it was, seeing an honest and hard-working stallion. In Canterlot the Princess was always surrounded by scheming nobles, ulterior motives, and cloak-and-dagger verbal fencing. That pony down there had little more to worry about than making sure he bucked the trees hard enough to get all the apples out. She envied him, in a way. Ah well.
Tilting the alignment of her wings, she gently moved the sliding bolt lock on the loft door. Hovering in place and making sure nopony was looking, she glided inside and landed daintily. Checking around, she saw that the extending ladder was up and secure. When she was away from the threshold, she dropped her invisibility spell. Her long shadow threw itself on the floor and she streeeeetched rather lazily. Princesses liked their naps too, thank you very much. The straw was just how she’d left it, and a few of her feathers were still among them. Blushing a little embarrassedly, she collected the feathers with her teeth and hid them in a corner. She didn’t want anypony to think some white goose was nesting up here. Smiling, she returned to the big pile of hay. Setting her royal hiney in it, she relaxed down into a mooshy pile of relaxation.
She felt the hay dust settle over her fur, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t there to look prim and proper and be admired by dozens of strangers per day like she was at the palace. Closing her eyes for a moment, she stomped around a bit and rather cutely turned in a circle three times. Then she let herself settle down to rest. Stretching her wings to their full span, she let them settle again when the ache had been worked out of them. Heaving a soft sigh, she lifted the crown from her head and set it safely aside. If it got scuffed or got a hayseed in it, her royal trappings shiner would notice and start asking questions.
Celestia smiled softly, looking around herself. She’d not really observed her surroundings the first time she’d come. The wooden beams looked new, the hay smelled fresh, and it was certainly roomy in there. The crates hidden in the hay piqued her curiosity, so she leaned and lit her horn. Peeking into each one that touched her fancy she found shiny, unopened toolboxes, boxes of nails, new horse-shoes, and other supplies. The loft must’ve been for spare tools and replacement parts for the farm. She winced when she opened one box and found it full of shucking blades. Carefully tucking them away and resealing the twin clips on the side of the box, she pushed them back under the hay where they were.
It was exciting in a way, really. The palace was prim and proper and shiny and gold. The picture of proper and royal. This barn had personality, though. It smelled. Not of perfumes and precious metals, but of musk, work, wood and iron. The whole thing was refreshing. No ponies to wait on her, no ponies wanting her ear or her hoof to sign something. It was like a… secret clubhouse! Celestia giggled lightly, a hoof hovering over her mouth for a moment. Had it really been so long since the dark ages, when ponies lived outside or in caves? She missed it, in a way, living off the land and fearing the heavy rain season. It felt more natural. But, civilization meant progress, so houses had been born. Ah well.
Pausing in her musings over barn smells and such, she watched a daddy-long-leg spider wander by. Smiling broadly, she laid on her belly and watched it go. The tiny creature had pinpricks for legs, and a mouth so small it couldn’t bite a pony, bit it was still a living thing. Feeling like a filly hiding in an attic somewhere, she propped her chin on her steepled hooves to smile in amusement.
Perhaps this was what she needed. Not just naps, or a private place to have them. But a little hidey-hole where nopony could find her. Not that her royal apartments weren’t nice, but… well… this was nicer. It felt homier. Sighing in a content way, admiring the innocent simplicity of her surroundings, Celestia turned and laid on her back. Letting her pink belly worship the sun, she closed her eyes for a bit to relax. The sun warmed her pale belly.
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Big Macintosh wandered by the barn, his cart full of apples. He flicked his gaze upward, and saw the loft door was wide open again. If that meant what he thought it did… he gulped a little, walking a bit faster. Tugging his load along, he put it in the apple-storing shed and emptied his cart there. Taking the cart to the barn, he decided to have a look ‘round. Checking over his shoulder to make sure neither of his loud sisters was lookin’, he entered the barn. He could hear movement above. Was that her? He’d bet his yoke it was. It hadn’t been two weeks since he’d seen her last, but he’d bet it was her.
The red stallion moved to one of the side stalls, to the barn fridge. Yes, the Apple family kept a fridge in their barn. You think Granny Smith would have muddy hooves in her kitchen if a pony just wanted a cold drink or somethin’? I thought not. Peering back and forth, he found a crisp red delicious apple and plucked it from the fridge shelf. It was chilled and ripe for the eatin’, filled with cold juice and sweetness.
Chancing to disturb the angelic creature above him, Big Mac pulled the extending ladder down. Checking again to make sure he was alone, he went up. He stuck his eyes up over the lip of the trap door, peering back and forth silently. The stem of the apple in his teeth, he heaved himself up into the loft. Cocking his head, he looked back and forth. All was quiet. Moving slowly so he didn’t make too much noise, he came to the loft door and the open space in front of it.
There she lay, in a big nest of straw, splayed out on her back once more. He had to make a very real effort not to snicker a little. Admiring her mane with curious eyes, he stopped a good distance away as not to frighten the beautiful creature away. The last thing a relaxing princess needed was a big sweaty stallion sneaking up on her. He scuffed the floorboards with his hoof a couple of times, drawing attention to himself.
Celestia startled a little, turning upright to look at him. Laying on her side she fixed him with her wide, intelligent eyes. A long silence passed. They stared at each other, neither saying a word. He was a handsome thing, she admitted. The barrel of his chest was lovely and that proud-looking forehead was certainly something he inherited from a powerful sire, no doubt. She blinked at him a few times, her curled eye-lashes butterflying the air a few times.
Big Mac suddenly remembered why he was there. Leaning forward, he bowed his thick neck down and set the chilled apple on the floorboards. Looking at her with his cool, stoic eyes, he gave it a hard nudge with the top of his muzzle. Both ponies watched the red fruit roll, tumble, bounce across the floor and stop at the edge of Celestia’s straw nest.
The alicorn smiled with her eyes, lighting her horn to pick it up with levitation. Bringing it to her breast to shine, she made a little sound when she found it was cold. Lifting it to her cheek, she pressed her face to its cold, red skin. She smiled wider, forgetting it was summer for just a moment. Closing her eyes to savor the stark feeling of cold on the hot day, Celestia finally split it in half with her magical grasp. Leaning and careful not to dribble juice on herself, she took a bite. The snap of apple flesh was crisp, sending a little cascade of apple juice spritzing into the air. She chewed for a bit, then had another bite.
Big Mac smiled at her. He’d grown that. It was kind’a amazing to see a princess eating it, to tell the truth. Smirking and shifting the sprig of grass from one side of his mouth to the other, he turned to let her be. She thanked him with her eyes, not daring to speak. Heaven knew if she uttered a word, somepony would be nearby to hear it and her secret would be given away. He gave her an honest smile and, nodding politely, left her there in the loft. Going carefully down the ladder and then putting it back up where it belonged, he was away.
Chancing being discovered for a few heart-pounding moments, Celestia went to the open loft door and peered out. She watched him hitch himself back up and head out to the orchard. She lifted the chilled apple treat to her lips again, dragging them over the smooth surface to savor the sweet flavor. She’d not asked his name. She wanted to know it.
End of Part 2