Eris grew at a surprisingly fast rate. Celestia taught her to read and write while Luna gave her Astronomy lessons every Sunday night. Eris caught on to the equestrian language quite quickly, repeating things that Celestia and Luna said and reading books out loud to both of them.
She was very friendly, and quickly became well known throughout the castle staff. Eris rarely got into mischeif, but was curious as any colt or filly.
History lessons came daily, although Celestia kept her away from the story of Discord until Eris herself came across it. Then, Celestia had no choice but to tell her. She remembered it quite clearly.
Eris walked into Celestia's room one night(she preferred walking over flying), her history book held up in front of her. It was winter and the week before Hearth's Warming Eve. The castle was decorated with the traditional decorations and Eris had been taught the importance of Hearth's Warming Eve.
"Tia, who's this?" Eris asked showing her the picture of Discord. Celestia swallowed the tea she had been drinking and attempted to change the subject.
"What are you doing reading those books?" She chided gently. "I gave you the week off from studying."
"I was just looking through it," Eris answered. "Now who's this?" She tapped her taloned finger on the Discord picture and Celestia sighed.
His name is Discord, and he was a very bad creature."
"He looks just like me," Eris commented.
"He does, doesn't he? Anyway, I created him in hopes of making him into an advisor."
"An advisor?" Eris wrinkled her nose. "What's that?"
"A close friend who gives the other friend advice," Celestia explained. "Discord was a good advisor to start with, but he turned evil. He started doing things that weren't right in Equestria."
"Like what?"
"Turning buildings upside down, making it rain chocolate milk-"
"Chocolate milk!" Eris licked her lips. "That doesn't sound so bad."
"But he also caused disharmony throughout Equestria. Luna and I destroyed him-" Eris gasped.
"You killed him?"
"No, of course not," Celestia reassured Eris. "We turned him to stone. He stayed that way for a while until he somehow broke out of his statue prison.
"My personal student Twilight Sparkle and her friends turned him back, and he now sits in the castle gardens."
Eris looked back at the picture and frowned. "Why does he look like me though?"
"I wanted to try again and remake him as you. It worked, but in a way I hadn't expected."
"Am I like Discord at all?" Eris asked.
"No, you're nothing like him. He was always getting into trouble and didn't like school at all. He never had the patience for it. He was also loud; you're quiet."
"So I won't turn out like him?"
"I don't think so," Celestia replied, although she was uncertain about it. She noticed Eris yawn and smiled. "I think it's time for you to go to bed," She remarked.
Eris crawled onto Celestia's back and curled up between her wings. Celestia carried her back to her room and gently shouldered her into the bed. Eris buried half of her face deep in the pillow as Celestaia pulled the covers over her.
"Goodnight, Eris," Celestia whispered. Eris yawned in response and Celestia walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
----------------------*Three Years Later*--------------------------------
Eris stalked across the castle lawn, her eyes intent on her prey. She had reached maturity six moths ago,to which Celestia now regarded Eris as a teenager. She slunk forward like a cat, her long body hovering inches from the ground. Eris paused, rocked her haunches from side to side and sprang into the air, diving on top of the ball. She rolled over and tossed it into the air with her legs. before it even hit the ground, Eris gave it a smack that would have sent an opponent staggering. It soared high over a hedge and Eris could just detect the hollow sound it made as it finally touched down.
Eris loped gracefully across the grassy area and spread her wings, allowing them to aid her on her jump over the high hedge. She hit the ground running, gradually slowing to a stop just in front of her red ball.
"Well that was convenient," Eris stated to herself. Grasping the ball in her hands, it was then that she noticed the strange looking shadow. her eyes traced it back to its origin, a large statue of an odd looking beast. Eris stepped closer, narrowing her eyes against the bright sun that blotted out the details on the statue. The features became clearer as Eris came face to face with it, and she didn't need the nameplate to know who it was.
"Discord," she breathed, peering up at him. His shocked expression stared straight over her antlers and Eris flew in a cirle around him.
"Wow, you really do look like me," She commented.
"Eris! Eris where are you?" Eris recognized the voice of Celestia and gave one last look at Discord's statue before flying over the hedge and to Celestia was standing, at the crest of the hill.
"It's time to get you ready for the Grand Galloping Gala," Celestia told her.
"I thought I told you I wasn't going," Eris replied, dropping to the ground and walking alongside Celestia.
"You're considered royalty, so you really don't have a choice." Celestia countered.
"Please don't make me wear a dress," Eris said, attempting a compromise.
"Fine," Celestia agreed. "But you at least need to take a bath and brush your mane."
Eris ran her eagle hand through the white part of her mane and down to the nape of her neck, where the hair changed to black, zebra like bristles.
"You've got a deal," Eris answered.
After a bath, a quick comb through the mane and (after a deliberate chase around the bathroom) a quick spritz of perfume, Eris finally descended the stairs with Luna, Celestia and her cousin, Blueblood. Trumpets sounded alongside a voice announcing their arrival. "Mares and Gentlecolts, please accompany me in welcoming the royal sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!" Hooves beat against the tile floors in response followed by cheers.
"Just remember to smile and wave," Celestia whispered to her before stepping into the light with Luna at her side. the smiled and walked down the red carpet to the stairs, where they would greet the guests officially. Blueblood and Eris were allowed to mingle, and Eris sucked in a deep breath as the trumpet sounded again.
"Ready?" She turned to Blueblood, who gave her a curt nod.He had never paid much attetion to Eris before, but she had been hoping for a change of behavior. This was the Grand Galloping Gala after all, her first time out at a public party at that.
"Please welcome Prince Blueblood, accompanied by the newest member of the royal family, Princess Eris!"
"Princess?" Eris muttered, shocked that they had announced her as that. She did her best to stay calm as they traipsed down the red carpet. Cameras flashed and Eris suddenly remebered celestia's advice: smile and wave.
she gave the cameras a toothy grin, baring her pearly white fangs to the ponies who possessed cameras. She waved with her lion paw, and then her eagle hand, rotating between the two.
"Eris, over here," voices shouted.
"They like me," She whispered. "They actually like me." Her face hurt by the time she and Blueblood reached the end and climbed the steps to greet Celestia and Luna, and they each congratulated her."You did great," Celestia told her as she passed.
As Eris turned down to the ballroom, she realized that her real challenge was yet to come: Talking with the elite of Canterlot.