Alfred Wight in Equestria
Chapter Two: The Proposal
The princess of all things equine sat at our table, wrapping her mug in an aura of pale yellow, bringing it to her lips, and sipping her hot tea.
After our initial shock, as well as any secondary tremors this initial encounter had caused, we were all settled back in the dining room of the practice, ready to hear Her Royal Highness’ case.
“What blend of tea is this?” she asked in a melodic voice.
Donald spoke up: “That is Earl Grey, your highness. It is a blend from India.”
“It is very good, a pleasant and floral bouquet. I like it very much.” The princess was smiling at Donald, looking out from under her multi-hued mane. “And please Dr. Sinclair, call me Celestia. Such royal styles have never suited me all that much.”
“Then, -um-, Celestia, I must ask you to just call us Donald and Alfred. Here in England they don’t call us Doctor, I’m afraid.” I could see it now, Donald turning on the old Sinclair charm. “However pleasant this audience has been thus far, Alfred and I must tend to our duties, so, if you could perhaps tell us why you have come here to us…”
“Yes, Donald, you are quite right. As you can well guess, I come from another world, perhaps another dimension. While my magic is indeed powerful, it is not strong enough to divine the answer to that question. Needless to say I come from a long way away.
However, that immense gulf between our worlds can be bridged, as my presence here attests. I have come to ask for both of your help in a matter most important and precious to me. You see, my people suffer every day from a severe lack of good medical care. While most other technologies have advanced quite far in my world, medicine is sorely lacking. If I were to compare your world and mine, your world outstrips ours in medical advancement by at least five hundred years. Part of the problem is the politics involved. The old guard of the medical profession will not waver from the old ways, to make way for new experimental procedures that become the established practices of tomorrow.
I have watched your world now for a very long time, and you have finally reached a time peaceful enough for me to come here and plead my case to you fine gentlemen.”
“What would you have us do?” I asked.
“I wish to form a bridge between your world and mine, and give you work in one of our rural districts. With your advanced medicine, you can improve the health of our people. And with hard data for comparison to back me, I can force the establishment to change.”
“That, Celestia, is a most noble endeavor,” Donald said, “but it will pose quite a challenge for us. We have quite a busy practice right now, as well as being short-handed. Not that we are not flattered by such a worthy and noble request, mind you, but it will be tough.”
“I do understand that the logistics of such a request would pose a problem,” Celestia replied, “but rest assured your work will not confine you to our world for a long period of time. I have some eager young students at my School for Gifted Unicorns studying medicine that feel stifled by the old guard. They will be your assistants, and as I understand it, they are fast learners. And I will be paying you handsomely for this out of my own personal treasury. If there is any equipment you require, I will purchase it for you. If there are facilities you need, they will be given freely to you. I wish for this practice that we begin to be an example for the way all practices will be run in the future. I have full confidence in you. Will you help?”
Needless to say, my initial reaction to this was incredulity, at the least. It sounded like a plot to that silly show about the man in his blue police box that my children watched as teenagers. I looked over at my partner, and saw the gears turning in his head. I could see the appeal to such an enterprise to him, dealing with horses again. During our first few years in Thirsk, we had horsework -a-plenty, but the time of the draught horse was over and gone, and now only the occasional hunter or cart horse, or even the more occasional thoroughbred was all the horse cases we ever saw, these days. That was a blow to Donald. Had we been more affluent twenty five, or even twenty years ago, we could have had quite the lucrative business in the horse trade, dealing with tracks and races at fairs. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
Donald stood up from his chair. “Your Highness, as senior partner of Sinclair and Wight, and, (as selected by you) duly appointed ambassadors for the planet Earth, please allow me to welcome you, and to extend every courtesy possible, including aid to your great land. Let this be a stepping stone toward the total health and prosperity of your people.”
The Princess then rose. As she was royalty, I rose as well. “Well said, Mr. Sinclair. Mr. Wight, do you have anything to say?”
This was crucial. Donald rarely held his seniority over my head anymore. While I had my misgivings, I figured I should back my partner’s play. “Only that I am in full agreement with my partner, and look forward to a long and prosperous friendship.”
Princess Celestia then beamed her smile at us. I honestly think the room lit up by several lumens. “Wonderful! Now, I understand that it may be some time before you are available, as you are going to be most busy in a few weeks.” A haze of golden light hovered in front of Donald and myself. What appeared to be a stack of parchment and a red feathered quill popped into existence within the light. “While you are busy, I hope to set up a correspondence with you, to let you know what I have in mind. You can write requirements and replies to my questions on this parchment. Then, all you need to do is burn the parchment, and it will come straight to me in Equestria. The main thing is that we need to set up one, or perhaps several gateways between our worlds, as well as procure any equipment needed to run an effective, modern practice. I also believe a preliminary visit to both my school and the district I want you to work in is in order. Would Saturday be too soon?”
Donald thought for a moment. “We should be able to free ourselves up for Saturday, don’t you think, Alf? I can enlist Brian’s help, as well as have our assistant cover for the day. Do you think you could do the same?”
“I believe Saturday would be well suited for such a visit. I must say, it’s all very beguiling. It’ll definitely make the work week shorter.”
The Princess made her way out to the hallway. “In that case, gentlemen, until Saturday. Let’s meet here at the practice early in the morning.”
“Very well, Your Highness, we shall be here at sunup.” Donald bowed, and I followed suit, much more awkwardly. “Take care until then.”
Princess Celestia then started glowing, that same golden light enveloped her, and she vanished right before our eyes.
Donald and I stood transfixed in the hall. “I think, Alf, that’s what the farmers call a ‘rum ‘un’, don’t you think? How about a brandy before our rounds, eh?”