Umbra had a high tolerance level for most things. She could listen to Feather prattle on for hours about the most mundane things and she could deal with having to have less than filling meals because of food scarcity. She could even deal with the itchy dresses that Feather made her wear for balls and meetings.
"Why can't we use the pink napkins?!" Bubble exclaimed.
Feather Quill shook his head. "It doesn't match the selection, you nincompoop!"
Bubble frowned and scrunched up his nose. "Your face doesn't match the selection!"
"That doesn't even make any sense!"
"Your face doesn't make any sense!"
However, dealing with the two idiots that currently occupied her presence was trying her patience in ways she never knew. In fact, it was taking her patience, wringing it dry, and beating it against the wall until all that remained was a dried up, fraying rag that was probably going to be used to polish rusty armor.
'At least I'm not visiting the mines today...' Umbra thought, feeling bitter. She wasn't particularly fond of being stared down by her slaves.
She shook her head. They weren't slaves. They were workers, serving the Empire while it was undergoing war with the Griffon kingdoms. All who were able went to the battlefield and the mines, in an effort to overturn the war into their favor. Even women had been entitled to the draft and the workers' contract, with the exception of mothers and their children.
Umbra sighed. It was difficult having to be the leader that her Empire needed. And it was even harder not being the leader that it wanted, nor deserved.
At least she was better than her predecessors.
'Thanks to those blasted fools, they completely botched the negotiations with that pig-headed, feather-brained fool Razorclaw,' Umbra thought bitterly. 'And when I took their place, I was not spared from their mistakes.'
The King and Queen before her had been greedy and selfish, she knew. They spread poison throughout the Empire and the economy suffered because of it, along with the reputation of the Empire. Neighboring kingdoms didn't even offer help when the war started, the Royal Brothers of Canterlot being included.
Umbra sucked in air through her teeth. Prince Artemis and Solaris had made it very clear that they weren't going to offer any help to her Empire, and that they weren't going to concern themselves with the affairs. Umbra doubted that they even knew that she was the new ruler and what her subjects had been reduced to.
She could barely remember the last time she saw a glimmer within the once shining, crystalline crowd...
"Your Majesty?"
Umbra shook her head lightly, the real world returning to her. She turned to see Bubble leaning in rather closely, much too close for her comfort.
"Gah!" Umbra shouted, in a not-so-ladylike manner. "Why were you leaning in so closely? Have you never heard of personal space?"
"You were really quiet," Bubble said simply. He cocked his head to the side. "Are you alright?"
Umbra pushed him away from her lightly. "I'm fine. You shouldn't stand so close to me. I... don't usually do well with people being too close."
Bubble blinked innocently. "Are you sleeping alright?"
Umbra couldn't help but blink in shocked bewilderment. "Beg pardon?"
"You have lines under your eyes," Bubble told her. "Plus, you've been zoning out for the past 15 minutes."
Umbra blinked. Was her exhaustion really so obvious? If a ball planner could see her troubles, then who was to say no one else did?
"The Queen's sleeping patterns are none of your concern," Feather Quill said crisply as he stepped in between them.
Umbra let out a light sigh of relief. She never thought she'd be happy for Feather interrupting a conversation.
"Aw, I was just asking!" Bubble whined. "I like to know things about people!"
Feather sniffed. "The Queen doesn't care for that. She's a listener first, a talker second." He turned to Umbra. "Isn't that right, Ma'am?"
Umbra gritted her teeth as her positive emotion faded as quickly as it came. He was still her bothersome adviser. "Yes, Feather Quill, it is."
Bubble frowned for a moment, then shrugged. "Okie dokie lokie!" He stopped. "I'm gonna go to my room! I got some plans I need to look over!"
Feather shook his head as Bubble bounced away, out of earshot. "If you ask me, we should cut our losses and get rid of him. He obviously doesn't understand what he's doing."
Umbra cocked a brow upwards. "What are you talking about? Cheese Panini sent a letter for him for a reason, you know."
Feather sighed. "You really weren't paying attention, were you?"
Umbra frowned, but refrained from answering for fear of unleashing a public verbal assault on her royal advisor. She had to be calm and collected, even if she didn't want to be.
"Well, if you must know," Feather said in a exasperated tone. "Your ball planner decided that instead of the elegance we've had in the previous years, that we turn our Crystal Ball into a county fair!"
Umbra raised her eyebrows simultaneously in an unamused manner. "The Crystal Ball takes place the night before the Crystal Fair every year, Feather. It wouldn't exactly be strange if there were any changes in the decor that would resemble that of the fair."
Feather pursed his lips. "The fair is a more of a family event than it is an adult one, whereas the ball is strictly meant for adults. I don't think our guests would want to bob for apples when in their best gowns."
Umbra blinked in surprise. "He actually suggested that we put up a bob for apples booth for a ball? That's unheard of!"
"Oh, apparently all the other castles are doing it," Feather said with a eye roll. "I think he's just blowing hot air."
Umbra crossed her arms over her chest. "Feather, do you remember the year I let you run the ball by yourself?"
Feather's face set into a hard frown. "Don't remind me. That year was a total catastrophe."
"So don't you think that it'd be best if you had a second opinion to walk you through the ropes?" Umbra suggested. "In comparison to Bubble and Cheese, you have little to no experience in ball planning."
"Your Majesty..." Feather tried to protest.
"Just let him help you." She held up a hand, her gaze cutting and sharp. "I don't want to hear another word about it."
Feather frowned. "Fine. But don't get upset when we have to put up with the tackiness that comes with county fair decor."
Umbra let out an angry huff as soon as Feather was far away enough not to hear it. "At least then things would be interesting..."
* * *
Bubble loved parties. Whether it be a shindig, a hootenanny, ball or just a simple get-together, Bubble loved them all. He didn't know if it was the smiles on the guests faces or the music that made everyone want to forget their troubles and dance, but he just knew that he loved parties with all his being.
It had been back when he was a little boy that he discovered the true meaning of joy, the source of his partying nature. A strange span of colors went over the sky, though many weren't sure what it was. It resembled that of a sonic boom, though it was a thousand times more beautiful than one.
A Sonic Rainboom. That's what Bubble had decided to call it, even though no one believed it when he talked about it. Still, there were those who thought the tale was interesting and shared it, some for mocking, some for entertainment.
Bubble knew few who appreciated parties like he did. There was Cheese Panini, his friend and partying partner, who had been inspired by his work and had joined him in spreading joy and laughter throughout the land. Then there was Surprise Party, who was a jester who traveled from town to town. And Laughing Fit, who could forget, who made the best pies in all of Equis, rivaling Bubble himself.
Bubble could only count how many party planners there were like himself on one hand, maybe on two if he counted the part-time ones.
And that's why it was so difficult to work with Feather Quill. Parties were about having fun, not about how many napkins there were on the table. Parties were about smiling and laughing, not about poise and grace. And most of all, parties were about spreading joy. Who would want to go to a party where no one was happy?
"Boooooooooriiiiiiiiiing," Bubble said aloud, to no one in particular. It's not like anyone would've heard him, what with him being in his bed chambers by himself.
Bubble sighed as he looked up at the boring colors of his room from his bed. It was just as plain as an unfrosted cupcake, the thought of which making Bubble cringe slightly. Who could eat cupcakes without frosting, anyway? It's the best part!
"Should I redecorate my room?" Bubble asked no one as he turned to face a side of his pillow. It was a plain white one, not a stain or decoration of any sort to make it interesting whatsoever. If only he had brought his craft box...
Bubble perked up immediately. "Wait a second, I did bring my craft box!" He faltered. "But I left it in the dining room!" He bonked himself on the head. "Dang it! I don't wanna go back down there and see mean old Feather again!" He sighed. "But it's so boring up here, though..."
He gasped. "What if someone finds it? What if someone..." He gulped. "...uses all my glitter?!"
And with that thought, Bubble jumped up from his bed and zoomed out of the room, his heart racing as he went out to save his glitter from being in the wrong hands.
* * *
Umbra sighed once more as she roamed the halls. It was finally that time of the day where she was able to be alone to herself, no Feather to bother her and no worries to trouble her.
At least, that was the plan.
She held down a sigh. Being a leader during an ongoing war was making things so much more difficult than she cared to admit. She couldn't be as free spoken, what with her subjects already holding many doubts in her as it was, mainly because of her plans to fight against the Griffons.
She had to keep it in. She couldn't let anyone see what she was feeling.
'I am a Queen,' Umbra reminded herself. 'I must put my people before myself.'
'Say that to the contracts you made them sign, you tyrant,' the dark voice in her head whispered.
Umbra exhaled sharply. 'They willingly signed those contracts to serve their country...'
But wasn't the contract meant to be in action for less than a year?
'The war went on longer than I anticipated,' Umbra admitted. 'they can't blame me for that.'
It wasn't her fault. It was because of King Topaz and Queen Crimson Quartz that she suffered as a leader. They ravaged their kingdom for resources and ruined the economy with their terrible taxes and spending decisions. Shops were closed, people starved, and lives were lost to the Griffons with every passing day.
Then they left Umbra behind to clean up their mess.
'Face it,' a voice said in her head, 'you imprisoned your people...'
'They're not slaves,' Umbra thought sharply.
'Imprisoned...'
She had no choice. 'Not slaves...'
'Enslaved...'
She couldn't do anything else. 'Not slaves...'
'Forever damned...'
"They're not slaves!" Umbra shouted, her voice ringing throughout the halls.
They're not slaves. They made that decision on their own accord. She gave no ultimatum or incentive. She gave them a choice; it's not her fault that they made their beds.
'It's not really a choice when the other option is eventual death...' Umbra heard that voice whisper to her. 'Then again, even that would be better than what you brought upon them...'
Umbra clenched her hands. 'It's not my fault...'
'They're suffering because of you.'
"No," she whispered. "They suffer because of them."
"Whoa, are you alright?" a voice blurted out.
Umbra froze. Idiot. She was an absolute idiot. She should have gone to her room and shut herself away. No one would have seen her. No one would have asked questions. She would have been alone.
"Who's there?" Umbra demanded, turning around to face whoever had spoken. She blinked in surprise when she saw it was Bubble Berry, who was looking at her with wide eyes.
"Bubble?" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in your chambers for the evening."
Bubble held up his hands. "Ya know, there's nothing weird about talking to yourself."
Umbra blinked. "Beg pardon?"
Bubble giggled. "It's OK, I won't tell anyone! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
Umbra stared at Bubble in silence as he enacted his strange hand movements. After she managed to get over the sight she just saw, she shook her head lightly. "Bubble, why are you so... nonchalant?"
Bubble cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"
"I... I just acted like total loon just now." Umbra looked off a bit, embarrassment making her cheeks turn red. "I'm a Queen; I'm better than this."
"There's nothing wrong with getting overwhelmed," Bubble told her. "Sometimes I get overwhelmed!"
"But it's..." Umbra paused to find a good word to use. "...improper."
"It is?" Bubble questioned. "I get overwhelmed and no one ever says it's improper! Even Gummy doesn't do that! Well, she's a really good listener and doesn't say anything about it until I'm done talking." Bubble put a finger to his chin. "Would it count as talking to yourself if someone was in the same room as you and heard everything you said, but didn't say anything?"
Umbra was quiet for a moment. "I'm... not sure."
Bubble shrugged. "Oh, well. I guess that means I'll have to ask someone else some other time."
Umbra arched a brow. "I'm not the first person you've asked that?"
Bubble giggled. "No way! I ask people all the time and I never get an answer! Actually, now that I think about it, no one really answers my questions! Like, is it illegal to expose yourself to a blind person? And why is it called a building if it's already built? And what's the speed of dark?" Bubble stopped as he looked back at Umbra. "Whatcha smiling about?"
Umbra put a hand to cover her growing smile and to smother a laugh that was climbing up her throat. Was she really giggling over something so silly? "It's nothing, Bubble. I just... never took you for the philosophizing type."
Bubble shrugged. "I don't really consider myself a philosopher. I consider myself a person who offers views or theories on profound questions."
Umbra arched a brow. "Is... Isn't that what a philosopher is?"
Bubble's eyebrows perked up. "Whoa, really? Add that to the list of things I didn't know!"
Umbra couldn't help her growing curiosity. "Are you always this open with everyone?"
'That's just plain rude,' Umbra thought. 'I shouldn't have asked that... He probably thinks I'm nosy.'
However, Bubble just nodded. "Uh-huh! I like talking to people and making new friends!" He faltered. "But that's why it's hard being a travelling planner. I never have a place to settle down at, mainly because the colonies don't really like outsiders." He brightened up again. "But's if not getting to stay with new friends means I get to spread more joy all over Equis, then it's all worth it!"
Umbra couldn't help but blink in surprise. "You're... fine with being treated badly just to make people happy?"
Bubble shrugged. "I just like making people smile. I know the world isn't fair, so it doesn't hurt to put a little happiness out there. It's no different from what you do, I bet!"
Umbra felt her stomach tighten up a bit at that. Why was he being so kind to her?
"I don't know about that..." she replied. "I'm not the best of company, to be quite honest."
Bubble cocked his head to the side. "What makes you say that?"
"Past experience," Umbra said simply. "Let's just leave it at that."
There was a silence between them.
"Bubble?" Umbra asked.
"Yes?" Bubble answered.
"Would you... care to accompany me on a walk?" She gave him a smile, though it was somewhat strained. She couldn't remember the last time she really smiled. "I'd like to have some company, if it wouldn't be a bother."
Bubble nodded. "Yeah, sure!"
She blinked in surprise. "Really?"
"Really!" Bubble affirmed. "Wouldn't want you talking to yourself again!"
Umbra smiled again, though there was a bit of a sadness behind it. "No... No, we wouldn't."