The next few weeks were a blur of activity, as the palace prepared to host the 1321st Grand Galloping Gala. At least, to Blueblood they were a blur. After passing out and being carried to his room, Blueblood had woken up the next morning with a pounding headache and a ravenous hunger. He had eaten a heavy breakfast, and then set out filing paper work in a daze. When he had free time, which was not as often as he’d like, Blueblood had to think about how to deal with the fact that Rarity and her friends would soon be coming to help him. His plans were flawed, and he also had the problem of Rarity know about his other persona Azure Flames. She would know by now that Azure worked in the Canterlot General Affairs Office, and would also know Azure worked for Blueblood. He had no doubt about any of that, Rarity had a number of contacts and acquaintances who would tell her if she asked. And she would, in order to find out about her mysterious admirer.
Now, Blueblood had to figure out a way to make sure he could try and make amends to Rarity as a Prince, and maybe try to spend time with her as Azure Flame. But that was a bad idea. What if she found out he was both ponies? She’d probably hate him for being all sneaky, and even if she forgave him of that, she would be furious at being lied to. This was going to be very tricky.
It was a moot point, anyway. In two days the Elements of Harmony would get here, and then stay in the castle while they prepared. And the Prince would then have to interact with them. He was not looking forward to that. Not at all.
The Prince gave a low groan as he stretched his sore muscles. Blueblood was at the moment stuck in his office, putting his signature on all sorts of documents. A signature for the Sanitation Community. His initials for the Chamber of Commerce’s latest tax proposal. A stamp for the Grand Heart Hospital’s decoration approval. Another signature. On and on, until Blueblood felt his horn start to cramp.
He put down his quill and massaged his temples, to try and get the pain out of his head. As he did, he thought back to his foalhood, and how his foalsitter had taught him how to take his medicine for headaches.
“A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, Blueblood!” He smiled, fondly recalling the happier memories in his head. Then a thought struck him. He had no idea what to do. But he knew a pony who might. His old foalsitter. He jumped up, galvanized by the idea. He looked at the clock; 4 pm. Not too late to make a house call, he hoped. Excited, he strode out of his office, and made his way out to the chariot pool.
Here, all the various coaches and chariots, pulled by Pegasi normally, waited until someone needed a ride. He hailed one of the nearby drivers, and told them his destination. They nodded, clearly unsure why he wanted to go there, but went along with his commands regardless. He signed their paychecks, after all.
It was a short flight, as Blueblood’s goal was a large manor in the Upper District. In less than five minutes, the chariot landed in front a rather lovely mansion. It was marble walled, with dark red bricks making up side walls and the paved path up to the front door from the ornate bronze and gold gate. The gate was opened, however, when one of the maids saw Blueblood get out of the chariot. After closing it behind him, she had rushed off to alert the household of his arrival, and his request to meet the mare of the house.
“This way, Prince Blueblood,” an elderly unicorn stallion said politely, leading the young royal into a tastefully decorated sitting room. There were large red and gold couches with soft pink throw pillows, and white and red checkered drapes were half closed on large bay windows.
“Thank you, Door Polish,” Blueblood said, acknowledging the butler as he sat down on a couch. The old unicorn smiled at having been remembered, and walked out to fetch his lady. In moments, there was creaking sound the doors opened slow, revealing a tall, drop dead gorgeous pink unicorn mare. Her Cutie Mark, three fleur de lis, was visible as she stepped in, and she looked at her guest with no expression.
“My lady,” Blueblood said, getting and leaning down to kiss her hoof. She giggled, and her stern façade broke as she grabbed him in a crushing hug.
“Oh, it’s been too long, Little Blue!” Fleur de Lis said happily, giving Blueblood an affectionate pat on the head.
“Indeed, Fleur,” Blueblood agreed to his old foalsitter. She put him down and they sat on the couch, silent for a while as they enjoyed each other’s presence.
“How long has it been since we just talked?” She asked, mostly to herself.
“About two years, I think. We didn’t get much time to chat at Cadence’s wedding, after all.” Blueblood answered, and Fleur nodded sadly.
“How’s Fancy Pants doing?” Blueblood asked, making conversation. He was having trouble bringing up the reason he was here, now that it was time to do so. His old sitter saw this, and smiled softly.
“He’s fine. Business is keeping him busy, at least. Plans on making some new kind of calculator. Is calling it a “Computer” and claims it will be able to link up with other Computers to share data and equations.” Blueblood looked impressed.
“That sounds amazing. How will it work?” Fleur rolled her eyes.
“He says it will work like one of those video game consoles, but I really don’t listen to him when he goes all technical on me. I can’t keep up!” The two share a laugh. Once their mirth settled down, Fleur’s horn glowed pastel pink, and a bubble surrounded the pair and the room.
“I’ve put up a sound proofing spell, Little Blue. So why are you really here?” Fleur asked. “You aren’t a pony to just make small talk.”
“I…have a problem. You’ve heard about the Grand Heart Hospital and the event I’m hosting there, right?” To his surprise, Fleur nodded her head.
“I’m on the Board of Directors, since I’ve donated a fair sum to them over the years. I’m very proud of you for this.” Blueblood blushed at the compliment, then looked up at his close friend and foalsitter.
Fleur looked young, and was often called a Trophy Wife by many jealous ponies and tabloids. And while it was true she was younger than Fancy Pants, the two were very much in love. She loved his tender attitude and kind demeanor, and Fancy Pants had fallen in love with her level head and common sense. The two were perfect for each other, and Blueblood was glad the mare he had come to rely on in the wake of his mother’s death was happy. When not raising charity, she would teach at the Magic University as a guest speaker. She had little time for the drivel spouted by other nobles, and found most of them annoying, if not downright boorish.
And on top of all that, Fleur was the only pony in the world who knew the truth about Azure Flame. Blueblood had gone to her after he had first used that persona, and found his foalsitter to be supportive of him in every way, even going so far as to help forge documents for him. She wouldn’t tell him how she knew how to do that stuff, however.
“Well, you see…” Blueblood spent the next hour filling in Fleur about his packages to Rarity, Rarity finding out about Azure Flame being the secret admirer, Luna’s spur of the moment choice to hire the Elements of Harmony, and his subsequent mental breakdown, recovery, and the thoughts that led him here.
Fleur sipped a cup of tea she had teleported in half an hour ago, and once Blueblood stopped talking and slumped into the couch, she set down the dainty cup and looked over at the Prince she had once given piggy back rides to. She got his attention, and looked him straight in the eyes.
“You are so boned.”
That simple remark, crude and unrefined it had been, neatly summed up the majority of what had happened, and would happen. Blueblood sighed in defeat.
“But that doesn’t mean that the situation is all hopeless.” Blueblood looked up with hope in his eyes. Fleur placed her hoof on her chin, and gave a moment to think it over.
“I know Rarity. I met her when Fancy Pants and I were out and about some months ago, and I know a bit about her friends from a party they crashed.” Blueblood nodded, wincing as he remembered that. He’d been late, so had arrived in time to see Twilight, Celestia’s star student and some-what acquaintance, doing some sort of bizarre dance in the middle of the garden. He still had no idea how any pony could dance so badly without try to! He could see Fleur trying to get the image out of her head as well.
“Anyways, unusual dancing aside, the Elements of Harmony are not unreasonable. You just need to get on their good sides. Find out what they like, and try to start a conversation about it. And if you get nervous, or become afraid of going into Snob Mode, don’t hesitate to become Azure Flame. In fact, it would be best if Azure sets the stage for smoothing things over. A go-between, you might say. And that way, Rarity will get to know the stallion who’s been stalking her.”
“I wasn’t stalking her!” Blueblood protested. Fleur gave him a look that said “Yes you were. Don’t make me get a law book and show you how terribly creepy you got!” Fleur had a very expressive face as well.
“Regardless, Azure Flame will have to smooth things over. And if that fails, well, I’ve heard that the Mild West is lovely this time of year.” She gave the prince a smirk, and he rolled his eyes.
“But what if I fail? What if I screw up so bad I go into Snob Mode, and I ruin it all over? And what if Rarity finds out that Azure Flame is actually me!” Blueblood covered his face with a throw pillow.
“She’ll be hurt, because you lied to her, obviously,” Fleur said, sinking Blueblood’s spirit, “but in the end, she’ll have to realize that Azure Flame is the real you. The Prince Blueblood she knows is a lie and a fake, a coping method you made that I fully understand. But Azure Flame … is you, Little Blue. Without the pressure of Royalty, without the gaze of the paparazzi, without the fear of loneliness, Azure Flame is who you are inside. It just takes a bit of effort to see that. And if she is a good pony, then she will see it, just like I do.”
Blueblood smiled weakly, a tear in his eyes. He got up and hugged his close friend.
“Thank you for that, Fleur. I’m glad I came to you for advice.” The pink mare patted the Prince on his back, just like she’d done while he was young.
“I’m glad too, Little Blue.”
After a bit more hugging, Blueblood got up, and Fleur lowered the Anti-Eavesdropping barrier. He thanked her as he left, saying his good byes to Door Polish and nodding a farewell to the maid. He stepped out of the manor and got into the chariot, which was waiting for him the garden now. It had to be moved out of the street lest it block the paths and become a traffic violation. The Guard stood at attention as Prince Blueblood got in, and they returned to the Castle, the Unicorn prince in a much better mood. Who knows? Maybe things will turn out right!