- Chapter Four -
It had felt like endless hours since Cassie had retreated to her bedroom for solace, and still, she couldn't sleep a wink. Somehow, something was itching at her, and no matter what she thought of or imagined to get the subject she wanted to avoid out of her mind, it just wouldn't budge.
In fact, it was almost leading the little Princess to feel ill.
Her head was spinning, her stomach ached and she felt a bit like whenever she got a cold - the sort of feeling one just couldn't shake.
Tossing and turning in her sheets, fluttering in and out of a nap-like stage, Cassara eventually gave up as she just curled up on her bed, trying not to think as she had her eyes closed and fell into a dizzy, drowsy dream-like stage.
Despite being slightly trapped in sleep's spell, she couldn't help but hear the door to her bedroom creak open and the sound of hooves click-clacking against the tile floor.
"Cassara?" a soft voice said, in a tone that seemed both sweet and concerned.
The young Princess shook off her drowsiness, and let out a sigh as she shuffled out of her blankets, peeking out to see her mother standing right by the edge of the bed.
"Hi, Mommy," she muttered.
With a small half-hearted smile, Celestia looked down to her young daughter. "There you are," she murmured. "I've been looking all over for you."
"I've been sleeping," Cassara replied. "I don't feel good."
Maybe she had too many cookies for breakfast...
Or perhaps it was too much of a magic overload in her studies...
"Oh?" the Sun Princess inquired, with a raised eyebrow. "Is everything alright, dear? You're not sick, are you?"
"Uh-uh," Cassie said as she shook her head. "I just don't feel good." She hesitated for a moment, and bit her lip. "I've been kinda lonely - are you gonna be busy soon?"
Celestia's smile slightly grew, and she responded with a brief, "Not at all."
The much younger Royal felt a ghost of a grin creeping up on her cute little expression, and she reached out for her mother. "Can you cuddle with me?" she asked softly. "Y'know, like some Mommy and daughter time?"
Ever-so-slightly melting at her daughter's adorable request, Celestia nodded. "I think that can be arranged," she said simply as she gently sat down on the bed next to her child.
With her mother's wing wrapped around her snugly, Cassie finally felt content for the first time that day, and she nuzzled up against Celestia affectionately, letting out a sigh of relief. Somehow, she just felt so much better when one - or both - of her parents were there for her.
...but somehow, in a sneaky sort of way, the thought came back.
Cassara tried oh-so-hard to push it back, but it was impossible.
She just couldn't help but look over her mother's appearance - what with Celestia's majestic (and matching) wings, strong build, elegant voluminous mane, soft caring eyes, normal hooves...
Meanwhile, Cassie had none of that.
Her wings were like mismatched, her form was all wibbly-wobbly, her mane was frizzier than a fuzzball, and according to everypony else, she had sparkles of trouble in her eyes, while she only had two hooves in the back.
How could she be related to a pony so pretty and perfect as her mommy?
The Ruler of Equestria... and then there was her daughter.
For the most part, Cassie liked being a Princess - really, she did, but now, she wasn't so sure of it.
Still, she wasn't going to dwell on it. Not with her mother right here. If it was one thing Celestia knew how to do well, it was lift her child's spirits to no end - or at least, try to, anyway.
Cassie was determined to feel better, no matter what.
"So, what did you do today? Did you have any fun?" the Princess of the Day questioned, attempting to make sweet small talk with her daughter.
Giving a small shrug, the draconequus filly twirled one of her curls around her talons as she thought up a response. "I just went to studies," she admitted. "I kinda failed the teleportation test - and I ended up flipping the room upside down instead."
Celestia let out a chuckle at the mental image, shaking her head playfully. "I'm sure you'll get it right," she assured. "But that's it then? No attempting to escape the Castle or making fun of the Guards, as you usually do?"
"No," Cassie replied, now beginning to pick off the tiny little dust balls on the mattress of her bed. "I didn't feel like it. I think too much magic made me feel icky."
"Now, don't think that's an excuse to get out of your studies," Celestia teased, with a smile as she nuzzled her daughter who happily returned it. "You'll be very important one day, Cassara, but you won't get anywhere if you don't believe in yourself. Remember that."
The little Princess nodded, managing to return the grin as she released a sigh, enjoying the moment she was sharing with her mother. She really did like this, even if Celestia never did see eye-to-eye with her completely on some things, the two still shared a bond only a mother and her child could have, which was completely irreplaceable and utterly indescribable.
But what Cassie didn't understand was why her mommy, being who she was, could love somepony (or rather some draconequus) so different, such as Discord and herself.
Sure, being a Princess of Equestria forever might have helped, but if there were ponies out there who said such mean things about others who were different...
Still, nonetheless, she was not going to dwell on it.
Especially now that Celestia was starting to sing. If it was one thing that Cassara loved more than anything, it was when her mother sang to her. Her voice was so pretty, soft and angelic that it was such a shame she didn't sing more often. Either way, though, Cassie was going to cherish it.
Keeping her wing wrapped around her daughter in a comforting sort of manner, Celestia smiled sweetly as her little girl giggled gleefully.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine~" the Sun Princess crooned, only before Cassie quickly joined in, with her own sweet little singing voice.
"You make me happy when skies are grey~"
Celestia chuckled, brushing frizzy locks of mane from her daughter's face. "You'll never know, dear, how much I love you~" she murmured. "Please don't take my sunshine away~"
Releasing a soft sigh, Cassara nuzzled up against her mother, with her pretty red eyes fluttering closed. Finally, her entire soul seemed to be content, and she was happy. She liked it this way, and she didn't want it to go away...