Saturday morning.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a great moment for me. I’ve had a long week of school, and I could sleep in and do nothing all day.
But this wasn’t a normal circumstance at all. In just a few hours, my dad and I were going to be crowned as princes. I looked at the clock on my nightstand, and it read eight AM; the coronation was at one in the afternoon, but I had to be ready by twelve-thirty.
According to the packet that I got a few days ago, the coronation was going to be held at the castle chapel, the same place where Dad and Celestia got married. I tried not to think about that as I got out of bed and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.
For the past few days, I had been going over the procession of the coronation. Thankfully, there wasn’t much that I had to say. The only lines that I had were towards the end of the ceremony when Dad and I would be crowned. Celestia would read us our royal responsibilities and ask us if we accepted said responsibilities, and we would respond with “I will”.
It was a good thing I didn't have to say much. The less I had to commit to memory, the better.
In fact, the ceremony itself was really short.
I looked at the clock again, and it was five minutes after eight. I had arranged for my breakfast to be carried to my room today by one of the maids, and it would be here any minute now.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
That was quicker than I expected.
I walked over to my bedroom door and opened it, but instead of a maid, it was someone else.
“Oh, hey Dad,” I said.
“You were expecting your breakfast, weren’t you?” he asked.
“Sort-of.”
“Well, I told the chef to forget about it.”
“What? Why?” I asked, somewhat perturbed.
“Devin, for the past four days you’ve been eating your meals either by yourself or on your way to school. Can’t you eat with your family for once? Your cousins came here for our coronation, and it would hurt their feelings if you just didn’t show up for breakfast.”
I sighed. I had forgotten that Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor had spent the night here at the castle after arriving here last night. Dad sure picked the right time to cancel my breakfast arrangements.
Rather than put up an argument, I just accepted the fact that I had to join my new family for breakfast.
“Come on, champ,” said Dad. “Everypony’s waiting for us downstairs.”
I quietly left my room, closing the door behind me and following my dad down the hall. The walk to the dining hall was dead quiet, and I kept my eyes to the floor as we walked. In an effort to break the silence, my dad cleared his throat and spoke.
“So, Devin…”
“Yeah.”
“Last night, I… told Celestia about how you’ve been feeling.”
“What!?” My eyes widened and I walked ahead of Dad and blocked his path, glaring angrily at him. “Why did you do that!?” I said with a hushed yell.
“I was only trying to help, son,” Dad said softly.
“You knew that I didn’t want to tell anyone how I felt, but you went ahead and told someone anyway? Whose side are you on!?”
“There aren’t any sides to take, Devin,” my dad said, his tone becoming somewhat stern. “All I want is for you and Celestia to get along. I thought that if she were aware of what was going on, she’d make more of an effort to make some sort of connection with you.”
I glared at my dad some more, still in disbelief at the fact that he ran his mouth. Just then, I felt a tingle in the back of my head…
“When are you going to get it? I don’t need you trying to fix my problems for me! I’m eighteen years old, dammit!!!”
Crap! Not now!
I let out a deep breath and tried to calm down in an effort to push the Voice out of my head. “Regardless of whether or not you wanted to help,” I explained, “my feelings were kept to myself for a reason. You weren’t supposed to tell anyone.”
“Well, you never said that…” Dad pointed out.
“Should I have to!? You’re my Dad! You should be able to figure it out!”
“Will you be quiet!? I’ll handle this.”
Easier said than done. It was becoming more and more apparent that the longer this conversation went on, the more frustrated I got.
“Devin, trust me. It’s a good thing that Celestia knows how you feel. Just give it some time and-”
“Alright, alright I get it!” I interrupted. “There’s nothing either of us can do to change it now, so just forget it.”
There was no reason to carry the conversation past that point. In fact, it would most likely do more harm than good. If I wanted to keep the Voice from coming back, I had to keep my emotions in check.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally got to the dining hall, and I put on a fake smile as we entered.
Celestia was sitting at the head of the table, with the surrounding seats being filled by Luna, Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor. My false smile wavered when I realized that there were two vacant seats on either side of Celestia.
“There you guys are!” she said happily as we approached the empty seats. Dad took the seat to Celestia’s right while I took the seat to her left. I ended up between her and her younger sister, Luna. As I sat down, I quietly hoped that nopony would try to strike up a conversation with me.
“So, Devin…”
Damn.
I looked to my left and saw Luna addressing me. “Where have you been these past few days? We’ve hardly ever seen you.”
I looked back down at the table, and I felt everypony’s eyes on me. “I wasn’t feeling very well over the past few days. I think it was something I ate.”
While Luna and my other relatives seemed to buy it, Dad and Celestia gave each other concerned looks. Celestia then turned to me with a small smile. “Well, at least you’re feeling better,” she said.
At that moment, the royal servers filed in and served everyone their breakfast. The breakfast I got was a stack of pancakes topped with syrup and butter, with two hashbrowns on the side. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw my food, and Celestia turned to me with a bigger smile than she had before.
“Your father told me that this was your favorite breakfast,” she told me quietly, “so I asked the chef to make it for you.”
I looked up at her and saw the hopeful expression on her face. Like Dad said, she really was trying to get me to accept her as a mother, and I actually felt a little grateful that she did that for me-
“Kissing up to me isn’t gonna get you anywhere, ‘Princess’.”
I quickly turned away from Celestia and put my hand on the side of my face. “Thanks,” I muttered with a neutral tone.
I didn’t see the look on Celestia’s face, but I had a feeling that it wasn’t good. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Luna looking down at me with a disapproving stare.
Great, I barely said a word, and I’ve already messed up. Why did that stupid Voice have to come in and ruin things for me! I would’ve actually made some progress with Celestia hadn’t it been for that Voice.
As the breakfast went on, I tried to keep to myself as much as I could. Everyone else simply talked to each other, and only occasionally somepony would ask me something. Whenever that happened, I would just give a one or two-word answer.
“How are you liking Canterlot?” asked Twilight.
“It’s nice.”
“How’s school so far?” asked Cadance.
“Okay.”
“Any mares in your class catch your eye yet?” asked Shining Armor.
“No.”
All the while, I didn’t look up from my plate, trying not to look at anypony. After who-knows-how long, the breakfast ended, and we all went back to our rooms to get ready for the coronation. By the time I had gotten to my room, it was almost nine-thirty, and in my head I tried to figure out how much free time I had before I actually had to get dressed.
“Okay, so I’ll have to be dressed and ready to go by ten after twelve if I want to get to the chapel by twelve-thirty.” I thought. “Getting dressed will probably take me twenty minutes at the most, so I’ve got from now until about eleven-fifty to just relax.”
I walked to my bed and pulled out a plastic bin from underneath it. A bunch of DVDs were inside the bin, and I decided to pull out a box set of one of my favorite TV shows. I figured that I could get three or four episodes in before I had to get ready. I popped a disc into my laptop relaxed on my bed as it played. I felt myself getting calmer by the second, and I sighed in relief as I watched my show.
As time went on, though, my mind went back to earlier that morning. I never expected Celestia to get the chef to make my favorite breakfast for me. It was a very kind gesture, and I felt bad for not thanking her properly. If it wasn’t for that dumb Voice, I could’ve actually started to make a connection with Celestia.
Why was it so hard for me to accept Celestia as a mother, though? Why was I so adverse to the idea of her family becoming part of mine? It’s not like I had anything against any of them, and I’m not intimidated by any of them, either.
Except maybe Luna…
They seemed nice enough, so what was my problem?
Maybe I just needed some time to get used to everything, is all. Yeah, that makes sense. All I need to do until then is stay calm and not get too worked up; otherwise the Voice could come out again.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
I raised my head from the computer screen and looked at my bedroom door. “Coming,” I called out as I paused the DVD and got out of my bed. I took my sweet time walking up to the door, assuming that it wasn’t urgent. When I opened the door, I saw who was knocking.
Celestia.
A almost forgot to breathe when I saw her, and I felt as though I was shrinking.
“Hello, Devin,” she smiled.
I looked to the ground. “Do you need something?” I muttered.
Celestia’s smile wavered, but it stayed on her face. “Well, I wanted to tell you something about the coronation,” she explained. “Normally, after the ceremony, there’s a big presentation to the city followed by a royal parade, but it’s not a requirement for you to participate in those events if you don’t want to. I can just tell everypony that you got sick again.”
I could hear the hopeful tone in her voice, and I could tell that she was trying to make me feel more comfortable with this whole coronation thing.
I couldn’t help but crack a smile. “Thanks,” I said quietly.
Celestia smiled back and said “You’re very welcome, son.”
I instinctively winced at that word and grabbed my shoulders as I took a step back from the princess. Her eyes widened and she immediately noticed the mistake she made, but I could tell that she wasn’t sure how to rectify it. Uncertain of what to say, she simply told me “See you at the ceremony,” and left my room.
I shut the door as she left. I stood there, feeling more confused than anything else. Should I have been offended that she tried to address me as her son, or should I have been happy that she saw me as a son?
No, I can’t dwell on this. I can’t risk getting frustrated again.
I shook my head and went back to my laptop, pretending that what just happened… didn’t happen.
It was five minutes after twelve, and I was standing in front of the mirror straightening my tie. Once I was all ready to go, I took one last look at myself and took a deep breath. With my mind steeled and my emotions suppressed, I walked out the door to meet Dad by the main entrance of the castle.
“Celestia’s already at the chapel preparing for the ceremony,” he told me. “We’re supposed to meet her in the preparation room.”
I nodded my head as we started heading towards the chapel. The entire walk was dead silent, and neither of us said a word to each other, but in all honesty, I actually preferred that. I really didn’t feel like talking to Dad, or anyone else for that matter. I just wanted to get this coronation overwith so I could just go back to my room and relax.
“Please, just let this be quick,” I begged inwardly as Dad and I reached the chapel’s preparation room.
Inside the room were Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle. Dad’s face brightened when he saw Celestia, as it always did whenever that happened. “Hi, honey!” he said happily as he walked over to her and leaned in to give her a kiss.
The princess glanced at me uncomfortably and then she stopped my dad with her hands. “Umm… Maybe later, Calvin,” she told him. “I have a lot of things to look over before the ceremony begins.”
Dad chuckled. “You’re right. You must have a lot to think about.”
I let out a mental sigh at dad’s obliviousness. It seemed that the only time he ever noticed subtle things about someone was when that someone was me.
“I have to go and make sure that all the preparations have been made,” Celestia announced to everyone. “I’ll be right back.”
Everyone nodded their heads in understanding as the princess left, and they began to talk with each other. As usual, I isolated myself from the others and looked out of a nearby window, my relatives’ voices becoming a jumbled mess as I tuned them out.
There was a half hour left until the coronation ceremony began, and I just sat in my chair, waiting for it to be over and done with-
“Hey, Devin!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard two voices behind me, and I turned around to see Cadance and Twilight standing in front of me. I looked behind them and saw that Dad, Luna, and Shining Armor were having their own conversation, so I guess Cadance and Twilight needed someone to talk to.
“Sorry to scare you,” said the older princess.
“It’s okay,” I said, looking away from her. “So, do you two need something?”
“We just wanted to talk,” said Twilight. “You must be nervous about your coronation, huh?”
“You could say that.”
“Well, it isn’t as bad as you may think,” she told me. “I’ve been a princess for two years, and my life hasn’t changed that much. Besides, the ceremony isn’t even that long.”
“Way to tell me something I already know,” I thought, mentally rolling my eyes.
“If you ever need somepony to talk to you, just give us a call,” said Cadance. “We always make time for family.”
“Um… Thanks, I guess…”
The older princess giggled. “Come on, Devin. Cheer up a little! This is supposed to be a happy occasion!
I sighed. She did have a point. This was supposed to be a happy occasion, if not for me, then for my father. He was married to one of the royal sisters and was now about to be inducted into the royal family. Why shouldn’t this be a happy moment for him?
I decided to put my own convictions aside for my Dad’s sake.
“I guess you’re right,” I conceded, receiving a wide smile from Cadance and Twilight. “Could you two excuse me? I need to get some water.”
I walked past the two princesses and headed towards the water cooler, hoping that a cold drink would help me, which it did, to a certain extent. The minutes seemed to fly by as the big moment came ever closer, and I suddenly heard music playing. I looked up in surprise, my heart nearly jumping out of my chest, and I saw Luna, Cadance, Twilight, and Shining Armor look at each other.
“That’s our cue,” Luna said as she and the other royals went up to the door and left in a single file line, leaving me and Dad in the room by ourselves.
At that moment, I mentally went over the ceremony’s procession:
-The royal band begins to play, with Princess Celestia at the royal altar.
-The remaining royals proceed down the chapel hall, lining up next to Celestia.
Next came the part where-
“I would like to thank you all for attending this glorious event.” Celestia announced, her voice reaching the preparation room. “We are gathered here today to crown two special individuals, making them official members of the royal family. Not only is this a joyous occasion, but it is also a historic one, for these inductees are the first two humans to ever become Equestrian royals.”
The next thing we heard was a round of applause from the audience.
“So, without further ado, let the coronation begin!”
There it was. That was me and Dad’s cue to walk down the chapel hall towards the altar. Dad had already approached the door, and he looked back at me with a smile.
“Ready, champ?” he asked.
I took a deep breath and walked up to the door, stopping right beside him. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” I answered.
Just then, the band started to play again, and Dad and I walked out of the door proceeded down the chapel hall. I tried my best not to look at all the ponies and people that watched us as we walked. Each second was more agonizing than the last as their gazes penetrated my skin. In an effort to ignore the hundreds of eyes that were on me, I focused my vision on the altar’s steps and blocked out everything else. I felt my heartbeat becoming calmer and calmer as I ignored everything around me, and before I knew it, I was standing before Celestia with Dad at my side. We both bowed and knelt before her.
First, Celestia approached Dad, and she looked down at him with a loving smile.
“Calvin, in the time that I’ve known you, you’ve been nothing but a kind and generous person to everyone you met. No matter what would happen, you would always face the day with a smile on your face. You have a pleasant air about you that always puts others in a good mood, and when you commit to something, you truly give your all. That commitment is what makes you worthy of becoming royalty.”
Celestia then cleared her throat and recited the oath.
“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the citizens of Equestria according to our respective laws and customs?" she asked.
“I will,” he answered.
"Will you to your power cause law and justice to be executed in all your judgments?"
“I will.”
“Will you swear to act not only as a ruler, but as a guide to all Equestrian citizens, and to protect them in times of crisis?”
“I will.”
Celestia looked down at him with a smile, and then she approached me. When I felt her shadow covering me, I felt another tingle in the back of my head.
“Great, let’s see what she has to say about me. I’d love to hear it.”
I winced, shutting my eyes tightly and shivering. “Damn it! Not now, of all times. Go away!”
“Devin,” she began, and I looked up to see her face. Surprisingly, she seemed just as happy as she was when she addressed my father, if not more so. “When I first met you, I’ll admit that I was rather nervous, but after getting to know you a little, I saw what a great person you were. You were willing to put your own feelings aside and endure great change just so that your father could be happy. Putting others before oneself is a very admirable quality; a quality that I feel makes you more than worthy of becoming a prince. I want you to know that it is an honor and a privilege to be a part of your family, and it humbles me to bestow the same honor upon you.”
I looked at Celestia in astonishment as she spoke to me, a genuine smile on her face as she did so, and I bowed my head as she prepared to recite the oath again.
“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the citizens of Equestria according to our respective laws and customs?" she asked.
“I will…” I answered.
"Will you to your power cause law and justice, to be executed in all your judgments?"
“I will.”
“Will you swear to act not only as a ruler, but as a guide to all Equestrian citizens, and to protect them in times of crisis?”
I hesitated for a moment, but I took a deep breath and said “I will.”
As I looked down, I saw a few drops of water fall to the floor, which confused me. The chapel didn’t have any leaks in the roof, as far as I knew, and even if it did, it wasn’t even raining. I looked up curiously, and my eyes widened.
Celestia was crying.
She took a second to compose herself and turned back to Luna, who levitated a pair of crowns to her big sister. Celestia then took hold of the crowns with her own magic and lowered one onto Dad’s head and the other onto mine.
“Citizens of Equestria,” she announced. “I am pleased to announce your new princes, Calvin and Devin Summers!”
Dad and I looked at each other and nodded, and we slowly rose to our feet and turned around to face the crowd, and everyone in the audience cheered for us, some even standing up out their seats. Just then, Celestia stepped in-between us, and then I remembered the last item on the procession:
-Celestia and the new princes lead the royals out of the chapel.
There was something, something about this moment that made me want to smile as we walked down the aisle. Seeing Celestia cry as she accepted me as part of her family made me feel… special, for lack of a better word. After we left the chapel Celestia pulled me aside and lit up her horn.
“Just fulfilling the deal I made with you,” she said, and everything instantly went white. When my vision cleared up, I found myself right outside my bedroom door. “There you go, just like you asked,” said Celestia.
“Thanks,” I said as I turned around and opened the door.
“Devin,” Celestia called, and I turned around and looked at her with a curious face.
“About what I said at the ceremony… I want you to know that I meant every word of it. I really am glad to be part of your family.”
I was taken aback, but I smiled at her still. “Well, I’m flattered you feel that way. Thanks, Celestia.”
“You’re welcome, Devin,” Celestia smiled, and she lit up her horn again and disappeared in a flash of light.
Now that I was alone, I went back into my room and sighed in relief. I threw off my suit and changed into more comfortable clothes. As I changed, I thought about everything that happened today. Maybe it actually was a good idea for Dad to tell Celestia how I felt. I surely didn't have the heart to tell her myself, and if she hadn't known what I was going through, she wouldn't have tried so hard to make me happy and help my adjust to my new life. Granted, I still hadn't completely accepted my situation, but I felt like I was getting there.
I got my dress shoes and walked over to my closet to put them away, but as I opened the closet door, something fell on my head. Thankfully, that something was really soft, whatever it was.
I looked down at the ground and saw a stuffed bear lying face down. I looked at it as I picked it up, and it had stitches in its ear, mismatched eyes, and a patch on its cheek. I smiled as I immediately recognized the toy.
His name was Misfit, and he was a teddy bear that my mother made for me when I was little.
I smiled as I walked to my bed with my old friend in my arms. Once I got comfortable, I pulled my laptop out from under my pillow and placed my crown on the bear’s head.
“The crown fits you nicely, Misfit,” I told him. “Why don’t we watch a movie together?”