//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: A Heavy Crown // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------// Aria slowly lifted one leg after another as she walked across the floor. The thick curtains over the soaring windows made it hard to tell what time it was outside, the only source of illumination coming from the faint luster of the ceiling’s massive fresco. Like the true night, its stars and moon glimmered just enough to outline the path in front of Aria. The wails coming from the crib were a good guide as well, occasionally growing so loud that Aria was forced to stop while her ears rang. Willow resorted to pressing a hoof against one of his ears as he stood beside the bed, not daring to go any closer to Cadenza while she was in one of her crying fits. Instead, his sunken eyes watched Aria traverse the gap between their bed and the crib. Upon reaching it, Aria drooped her head over the bars and peered down with equally tired eyes. Cadenza continued to cry, and Aria could now see she was flailing around— hooves, wings, and tail going in all directions. Her wings, while ruffled, weren’t bent oddly or sprained, and her legs and tail appeared unharmed too. A quick sniff revealed a still-clean diaper as well. Aria let out a sigh before lowering a hoof into the crib and gently pressing it against Cadenza’s forehead, right at the base of her elongated horn. Aria lightly hummed to try and quiet Cadenza while she checked her temperature, but her song was lost amidst Cadenza’s bawls. After a moment, Aria pulled her hoof back from Cadenza’s head and brought another hoof into the crib, looping them around her back. Before picking her up, Aria glanced back at her bed. “Willow, I think she’s thirsty. Could you get somepony to fetch some formula while I try to quiet her down?” “I’ll be right back.” Willow moved a few feet away from the bed before unfolding his wings and jumping off the floor into a low glide. He was almost at the door when Aria spoke up. “Willow,” she said, her voice loud enough to carry over Cadenza’s cries and across the room, but shaking with each syllable. “Get the Princess.” Willow fell to the ground and spun around to see a faint pink glow emanating from the crib. Aria still had her hooves stretched into the crib, but she didn’t move a single muscle. Sleep had vanished from her eyes, which were locked onto the tiny orb of light at tip of Cadenza’s horn that was slowly ballooning outwards. “Willow!” Aria shouted. “Get Celestia now!” Willow rocketed into a full gallop, throwing the door open and darting out into the hallway. Aria dipped her head a little lower, bringing it as close to the magical bubble as she dared. Her breath came heavily through her nose while sweat slicked down her face and neck. “Cadenza,” she whispered, “please stop.” More wailing came in response, and the glowing sphere expanded. Cadenza’s entire horn was now ablaze with magic. Aria was forced to pull away, gasping as her eyes darted around the room for something, anything, she could use to calm Cadenza down. Just as the magical sphere grew bigger than the crib, the doors opened and Willow flew in, carpet pilling up around his hooves when he landed. He gulped down air looking back and forth between Aria and the crib before a warmth entered the room, slowing his and Aria’s breathing a bit. “Get back!” Celestia shouted as she galloped into the room. Aria hesitated before Willow raced over to her and yanked her away from the crib as a golden aura erupted from the ground and engulfed it in a radiant sphere of magic. Celestia crossed the room in an instant, horn glowing bright like a miniature sun. Under her glare, Cadenza teared up and screamed louder, her magic surging out even faster and bringing both spheres dangerously close to each other. Ethereal lightning arced between the shrinking space and the entire sphere started emitting a harsh light. Celestia twisted her head back to Aria and Willow. “Cover your eyes!” she ordered. Cadenza’s cries reached a fevered pitch. And then everything went white. ~~~ Willow slowly opened his eyes to the blurry image of Aria still sound asleep in front of him. He blinked, not hearing the ring of his alarm, but instead feeling something press against his back. His ears picked up a new sound, partially muted by the thick silky comforter: a collection of sniffles and hiccups. His hooves sank into the thick mattress as he turned over. Huddled on the edge of the bed was a small pink filly with her head buried in the covers. A pointed horn stuck out from where her face met the sheets, splitting her multicolored bangs apart. Her whole body shook as she cried into the sheets, her wings sporadically twitching when she hiccuped. “Cadenza,” Willow said, trying to keep his voice as hushed as he could, but it still peaked a little. He brought a hoof across her back and the sheets near his chest grew damper as he rubbed his hoof in the space between her wings. “What is it? What’s wrong?” “I…” Cadenza lifted her head up, revealing raw puffy eyes and a red nose as more tears spilled down her cheeks. “I had the bad dream again.” Willow paled for a brief moment before taking a deep breath and exhaling. He pulled Cadenza up to his face and brought her into a hug, her chest rapidly rising and fall against his. “It’s just a dream. That’s all it ever is.” “A-aunt Celestia was angry,” she whimpered, her tears now falling onto Willow’s shoulder. “I-I wanted it to stop, b-but it wouldn’t.” “It’s okay.” Willow gave Cadenza a few soft pats on the back. “It’s okay.” He was about to say more when a tiny mumble came from behind him. Aria shifted around, burying her head in a pillow before snoring loudly. A small smile came to Willow’s lips. “See?” he said to Cadenza. “Mommy and I are just fine, and you know the Princess could never be mad at you, right?” “Y-yes.” Cadenza stared down and wiped a hoof across her runny nose. “I just wish that dream would go away.” “Don’t think about it too hard.” Willow kept his hold on Cadenza while he used his hind legs to quietly move the bedsheets off his lower body. Cadenza stopped shaking in his grasp and her breathing slowed. Once he was free of the sheets, he twisted his body so that his wings were facing upwards and free to move around. A few light flaps lifted him and Cadenza off the bed and close to the floor. Willow gently raised her off his shoulder and set her down on the ground before joining her there. At five years of age, Cadenza stood at about the height of Willow’s knees, so he had to lower his head so he could flash her a grin. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” He glanced up at Aria for a brief second. “We’ll let mommy sleep a little more and then we can all head to breakfast. I think I heard a guard mention pancakes.” Cadenza’s face brightened up a little. Willow smiled down at her and tousled her tangled mess of a mane. He extended a wing across her back and they walked over to the small door at the side of the room, their path illuminated by the bits of light that slipped through the thick drapes on the windows. As they neared the bathroom door, toys began to collect around the floor. There were a few chairs as well, both normal and filly-sized— the latter adorned with plush animals of all shapes and sizes. A few storybooks filled a miniature dining table where a good majority of the toys were gathered like they were just sitting down for breakfast. There was a small open space past the toys, a clear path to both the bathroom, and a low-level bed with a mess of pink and white pillows and sheets that clashed with the rest of the room’s nocturnal coloring. Willow pushed open the door when he reached it and led Cadenza off the thick lavender carpeting onto polished black marble that shone like a mirror, save for the thin white swirls in the stone. The sink directly in front of them held a similar sheen with its lustrous granite base and twin silver faucets and towel racks. The decadent fixtures were doubled by the wide mirror that covered the entire wall above the counter, and stretched to a massive porcelain tub the size of a small pool. Arriving at the sink, Willow twisted the left lever of the faucet, which sent a steady stream of hot water into it. He went into a hover before he picked Cadenza off the floor and lifted her up to the sink. She watched the water pour out of the faucet for a moment and then turned to look up at Willow. “Just get a little on your face,” he said. Cadenza lowered her head until her chin was almost touching the granite counter. She then took a deep breath and plunged her hooves into the stream before pulling them back along with a wave of water. As their manes dripped onto the stone below, Willow gave a snort to dislodge some water that had gone up his nose. “That’s a bit more than a little,” he chuckled. Cadenza bowed her head. “Sorry, daddy.” Willow gave her a small rub on the stomach. “Nothing a towel can’t fix.” He brought Cadenza back to the ground, grabbed a towel from the nearby rack, ran it under the faucet, and gave his face a quick rub before bringing it down to Cadenza’s face. She jumped a little from the warm touch of the damp fabric, but soon relaxed and let Willow clean up her face. He dabbed at her eyes first, clearing away what remained of her tears, before he moved onto her nose. The towel quickly turned into an oversized tissue that Willow discarded into the linen bin once he was finished. Cadenza’s eyes were still red and slightly puffed up from crying, but her fur and nose were clean now. “Now to get your mane,” said Willow. He grabbed Cadenza and lifted her up to the counter again, this time onto the flat space between the sinks. He stretched out a wing to the left sink and grabbed the thick brush that rested amidst a small collection of earrings and perfumes. While Willow brought the brush closer to her head, Cadenza stared at her reflection in the mirror. The towel had pushed back her bangs so that she could see the state her mane was in. Yellow strands curled upward, magenta strands twisted with lavender ones, and all of them formed tangles with each other. Her pupils shrank a little when she saw that the brush was only inches away from the knotted mess. “I-is this going to hurt?” she asked. Willow hovered the brush over Cadenza’s mane and looked over it again. He gave her a reassuring rub on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I can do this quickly.” Cadenza sucked in her breath and shut her eyes. She felt the brush tugging back at her mane and stiffened. Yet, the pull never got to the point of being painful and instead came to a halt from one harsh word. “Willow!” Aria said, causing him to freeze. “What in Equestria are you doing?” “Combing Cadenza’s mane?” Willow said with a shaky grin while he slowly turned his over to the doorway where Aria was standing. Like Cadenza’s, Aria’s mane was a wild mess of knots and tangles, albeit being only strawberry-blond instead of the separate stripes of gold, magenta, and lavender that made up Cadenza’s mane. Her eyes were sharp and awake from behind the loose bundles of hair in front of them, and her nostrils were flared out. She marched over to the sink with an echo coming off her hooves hitting the marble floor. She glared at Willow for a brief moment before sighing and shaking her head. “I know your mane doesn’t matter that much because of work, but spare Cadenza’s, please,” she said. Willow raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?” “It means you comb your mane fine for somepony that’s going to be darting around the sky.” Aria brought her head closer to Willow’s and nuzzled him. “It’s just not the best look for a filly.” Aria pulled back, but she now had the brush in her mouth as well as a victorious grin. Willow blinked, shot his eyes down to his now-empty wing, and then looked back at Aria. She ignored his befuddled state and moved over to Cadenza, who was staring at her with sealed lips, trying to contain giggles. “Your mane looks even worse than mine, mommy!” she exclaimed. Aria’s grin turned into a small smile. She set the brush with the flat side down so that it made a loud clack when it touched the counter. The sound made Cadenza jump, and it was now Aria’s turn to chuckle. “It may look worse, but I know how to straighten it out quickly.” Her smile sharpened back into a grin. “I can take an extra long time with little fillies who make fun of their mommy’s mane. Then they miss all the super delicious pancakes I’m sure they’ll have for breakfast today.” Cadenza paled a little and whipped her head back and forth. “No! I want pancakes!” “Well then…” Aria balanced herself up on two legs while leaning over the counter. She sent her forelegs out and placed them on the sides of Cadenza’s head, forcing her to look right at her reflection. “It’s a good thing I know you’re the best little filly in the world, who will keep her head straight the whole time.” “Then, pancakes?” Aria smiled, pushing a few messy strands away from Cadenza’s eyes with a hoof. “Then pancakes,” she said before picking up the brush and going to work. ~~~ Steam poured out of the hot sugary dough as Aria sliced through the waffle in front of Cadenza. Warm syrup filled in the gap formed by the knife while Aria continued to cut out a small chunk of it. The waffle was so large that Aria only needed to get one of the many indented squares out of the dough before scooting it closer to Cadenza with the knife. She set the knife down and smiled, getting a good whiff of the sweet steam. “Mmmm, I think the cooks have really outdone themselves today,” she said. Cadenza glared at the piece of waffle in front of her with her hooves crossed over her mouth. “Daddy said there’d be pancakes.” “Hmm?” Willow paused devouring the bit of waffle that remained on his own plate. “Cadenza,” Aria said, her voice firm. “They make pancakes and waffles with the exact same ingredients.” “But it doesn’t taste the same!” Aria took a deep breath and looked over to other side of the table where a newspaper was floating over a large cup of coffee, obscuring the pony behind it. “Mystic, I think Cadenza would like a lecture on the chemical breakdown of pancakes and waffles.” Mystic stacked the newspapers to the side of his cup and took a drink while color drained from Cadenza’s face. After taking a gulp, he asked, “Would you prefer here, your room, or my study?” “Wherever you think a picky eater can learn best to appreciate all types of food.” Aria bent down and snatched up the waffle piece. “Especially the tasty kinds.” “No, no!” Cadenza gasped. She reached out and pulled her plate closer before sticking her muzzle straight into waffle. She tore a chunk out of it before she pulled her head back, beads of syrup dripping off her face. With a full mouth, she said, “Sfee? Af luf woofles!” Aria giggled while Mystic sighed. He hid himself behind the newspaper again, muttering, “Pastries. Always a mess with pastries.” “Looks like somepony is gonna need to wash her face again,” Aria chuckled. “Buf Ah dof haf t—” Cadenza was cut off by Aria dabbing a napkin at her face. “Eat your food, then talk.” Aria wiped off most of the sticky mess for the left side of Cadenza’s face before moving onto her right side. “And no, Mr. Rune isn’t going to give you an extra lesson, just your regular one.” She finished cleaning off the worse of the mess and set the napkin aside before flashing Cadenza a devious grin. “If you can eat the rest of breakfast without making more of a mess.” Cadenza swallowed her food with a big gulp and quickly nodded her head. “Sorry, mommy… the waffle is pretty tasty.” “See? You just had to try it.” Aria turned her head away from Cadenza and over to her own plate, which contained a small bowl or various fruits. She lowered her muzzle and skillfully plucked a single grape out of the bowl. Across the table, Willow had watched things unfold, but continued to work on his own breakfast as well. His plate was now empty, and one final gulp finished his cup of coffee. With a content sigh, he set the cup down and stood up from the table, his eyes tracing over the golden inlays of the head chair’s oak construction. The decadent design only held his attention for a brief moment as he walked by it and over to Aria and Cadenza. He brought his head close to Aria’s and lightly nuzzled her on the cheek. “I should be back around four,” he said. “Just some cloud clearing and bringing in a nice breeze to the area.” “Sounds like we’re going to have nice weather this weekend.” Aria’s eyelids drooped a little, and a frown momentarily came to her face. She brightened up seeing Cadenza hard at work on her breakfast. She sawed through the waffle with her knife grasped between her teeth, yet managed to not splatter syrup everywhere. Aria smiled and gave Willow a light kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” “Yeah.” Willow returned the kiss with his own before turning over to Cadenza. She paused eating when he tussled her mane. “Cadenza, daddy’s got to go off to work now.” “Are you gonna make the sky pretty?” she asked. “Super pretty.” Cadenza grinned at him before wrapping two hooves around one of his legs. “Bye, daddy.” “I’ll be back for dinner.” He gave her a quick hug and then left the private dining room. ~~~ The afternoon sun poured into the Lunar Suite, the walls drinking up the light. Aria sat near one of the room’s towering windows, a book laid out in front of her while she curled up in the chair’s plush confines. At its base was a hodgepodge stack of books, with many titles including “Musician”, and a few containing “Kindergarten.” One at the top had an illustration of a Saddle Arabian mare in the hooves of a stallion with a mane that could rival Celestia’s in the way it flowed. A groan from one of the room’s two main doors perked up Aria’s ears. She quickly placed the book in front of her over the romance novel, causing the stack to teeter a little. Ignoring the imbalance, she got off her chair and made her way over to the door. At the same time, Cadenza slipped through the crack between the massive doors and shambled over to her, making it about halfway before falling to her knees. Aria picked up her pace and rushed over to Cadenza’s side. Cadenza looked up at Aria with tired eyes and let out a defeated huff. “Mommy, I don’t want to learn about any more colors.” Cadenza then planted her head on the floor like it was a pillow. The door opened up a little more and Mystic stepped through. He stared down at Cadenza and shook his head. “Enough of that; you’re going to frighten your mother with these dramatics.” Cadenza regained enough energy to twist her head and shoot Mystic a glare. He gave a small sigh and lifted his eyes up to Aria, but was surprised to see her glaring at him too. “What?” he asked. “I did nothing that isn’t outside the range of any of my students. Just some simple color and light manipulation spells.” “She’s only five,” Aria growled. She wrapped a hoof around Cadenza brought her back to her hooves. A small shudder went through her as she felt Aria’s tight grip, but she relaxed when she saw Aria smiling at her. “Cadenza, Mr. Rune and I need to have a little talk, can you be a good filly for just a few minutes?” “Can I take a nap?” “Of course.” Aria gave Cadenza a nuzzle and then advanced on Mystic, her face growing rigid and harsh. Mystic met her glare with a furrowed brow. When she reached him, the two stepped in tandem over to the door, each eyeing the other. Cadenza, meanwhile, climbed up onto her bed, her eyes growing heavy as she tucked herself in for a nap. “Bye, mommy,” she said with a weak wave of her hoof as she pulled the covers up to her head. Aria paused and spun around, her features soft again and a smile on her face. “I’ll be right back. You can sleep as much as you want until daddy gets home.” Cadenza yawned and buried her head in a pillow, instantly drifting off to sleep. Aria lingered on her for a brief moment before turning back to Mystic, who was already stepping through the gap in the doors. She took a deep breath and sharpened her features once more. Once she was outside, she walked away from the door until the reflections from the stained glass started to shine off her coat. Ahead of her, Mystic came to a stop and turned to face her, but before he could get a word out, she was in his face, giving him the full brunt of her glare. “You are pushing her too hard again,” she said, her voice now on the edge of going into a yell. “She can’t even use levitation spells regularly yet.” “All students in magical kindergarten ca—” “Cadenza is not one of your prodigies!” Aria’s yell echoed throughout the hall, but Mystic did not flinch, though his eyebrows furrowed deeply. “You’re right. She’s more than that. None of my students required the Princess to control their magic.” Aria flared her nostrils. “None of your students have nightmares about things like she does!” She felt a sting on her eyes and turned her head away from Mystic so he couldn’t see her brush away a few small tears. Steeling her gaze again, Aria looked back but was met with Mystic staring at the ground. His brow remained furrowed, but his eyes were now unfocused, as if the floor were some unfamiliar creature. “That…” He paused and sighed, running a hoof through his mane. “That is why I want her in control as much as possible… but I suppose easing off her a little and just going over the essentials couldn’t hurt.” Aria glared at him for a moment longer before walking away. “Thank you.” “I just want what’s best for her,” Mystic called out as Aria reached the door to her room. “I know,” she said before pushing the door open and slipping inside. ~~~ Cadenza opened her eyes when she felt a hoof lightly nudging her shoulder. She lifted her head from the pillow to see that Willow was standing at her bedside, his face outlined by the deep red and orange of sunset. “Hey.” Willow reached out and helped her off the bed. “Sleep well?” “What time is it?” she asked “Dinner time.” Willow led her out of the room and into the hallway. Dusk, combined with the stained glass, gave off a deep lavender hue that made the hall look as if it were underwater for a few feet. Then, like an ebbing tide, the hall slowly lightened until it was the vibrant orange of a beach at sunset. As they walked, Cadenza looked up at Willow. “Daddy?” she asked. “I thought mommy was gonna wake me up when you got home.” Willow bent her head down to Cadenza’s level and smiled at her. “Would you wake up somepony that was sleeping so soundly?” “Hmmm.” Cadenza glanced up for a moment before smiling back at Willow. “I don’t think so. You’re not mad I was asleep?” “No,” Willow chuckled as he lifted his head up. “I’m not mad that you do something everypony else does. Besides, it sounds like Mr. Rune gave you an extra hard lesson today.” Cadenza puffed up her cheeks. “He’s a meanie. He turned a really pretty flower this gross color and wanted me to do the same thing. I told him I didn’t want to, but he made me try anyway.” She slowed down and dropped her head. “I made a flower wilt, and it hurt my head.” “Yeah,” Willow said, staring off at the glistening twin doors at the end of hall that mirrored the ones he’d just left, only this pair had two guards at its sides. “Mommy said she talked with Mr. Rune about that. I think he’ll take extra care to make sure your lessons aren’t too hard now.” “But he’s still a meanie,” Cadenza whined. “He talks in a slow voice that makes me sleepy and gives me lots and lots of homework. Why can’t mommy or Aunt Celestia teach me?” “Mommy isn’t a teacher,” Willow replied, his voice getting a little more stiff. “As for Aunt Celestia, I’m sure she would be a great teacher, but you know she’s a very busy pony.” “Yeah bu—” “And Mr. Rune also has a lot of other students to teach at his school too. It’s hard, but he makes sure to come up with lessons for you as well.” Cadenza pouted at Willow. “Why can’t I just go to class with the other ponies then?” Willow’s eyes widened and he came to a stop. Ahead of him, the two guards straightened up and one took a step forward. Willow quickly waved his hoof, sending the guard back to his original post. Willow stared at the two of them for a moment, their eyes not on him but Cadenza. He took a breath before facing Cadenza again, an annoyed frown now still on her face. He gave her a nudge with a hoof to get her walking to the door, the guards pushing them open as they got close. “Mr. Rune teaches a very advanced class, so it’d be even harder,” Willow said. Slipping through the gap, he added, “and the closest other school is a bit away.” “Oh.” Cadenza slumped her head and shoulders, her trot slowing to a crawl. “Okay.” “Aw, sweetie.” Willow bent down and draped a wing over Cadenza’s back. “Mommy and I know you try your hardest in your lessons. In fact, I think you worked so hard today that you deserve an express flight straight to dinner.” Cadenza lifted her head and showed off a faint smile. “All the way to the dining hall?” “All the way.” Willow bent down low enough that he was practically lying on the thick ruby carpet. Cadenza’s smile widened and she jumped onto Willow’s back in between his wings. Her own twitched with excitement at her sides as Willow got back up. He looked back at her with an energetic gleam in his eyes. “Are all passengers accounted for?” he asked. Cadenza eagerly nodded. “Do all passengers have a secure hold on daddy?” Cadenza looped her front legs around Willow’s neck while she anchored her hind ones to his sides. Willow looked down at the hold she had on him and nodded, shooting his wings out fast enough that they created a swish and rustled the carpet under him. His wings flapped slowly at first, just getting him and Cadenza a few inches off the ground. When he was about a foot airborne, he glanced back at Cadenza one more time. “Are the passengers ready?” “Yes!” Cadenza screamed. “Then let’s go!” Willow stretched his wings forward and then brought them back in a blur of green. The intricate designs of the stained glass overhead turned into a kaleidoscopic swirl of colors. Willow raced over the ground so fast that it looked like a sea of red and grey. Cadenza giggled as her mane flowed backward, her cries of delight stopping only when Willow banked around a corner and she had to tighten her hold. They sped down the hallways, even putting out a few torches and zooming over some guards. Before Cadenza knew it, Willow was back to hovering, this time in front of another twin door, albeit only half the size of the grand doors that led to the Lunar Suite. He quietly landed on the ground and went to his knees so that Cadenza could slide off. Once she had cleared his back, he took a few breaths and wiped away the tiny amount of sweat he’d acquired from the flight. At the same time, Cadenza raced around him like all the energy from the dash had transferred into her. “Again! Again!” she shouted. Willow wrapped a wing around her again, but now to hold her in place. “Maybe after dinner, but you have to make a promise.” “Anything!” she said, jumping off the floor, but quickly returning to it due to Willow’s wing. “Calm down a little.” Willow reached out and pressed on one of the doors. “You’re gonna make a mess at dinner if you’re all jumpy like that and I think you’ve gotten your face washed enough for one day.” Cadenza stopped jittering under Willow’s wing and blushed. She nodded, hiding her eyes behind her mane. “I promise.” “Glad to hear it.” Willow pushed harder on the door and it creaked open. The last bit of daylight slipped through the room’s soaring windows, which looked out onto a wide balcony and the spanning valley beyond it. A tiny sliver of the sun cast the room in a rose hue as it slowly sank behind far-off mountains, its light shimmering the main table’s fine veneer. The table itself stood at the head of the room as it always did, while a multitude of other long tables lined the walls. Dozens upon dozens of chairs were stacked next to them, but it was impossible to get an exact number because of the thick tarps over them and the tables. Aria sat at one of the three chairs placed along one of the long sides of the table. Smooth white fabric lined their sturdy maple frames; it was so soft and plush that it almost looked like clouds from afar. She drew circles across the porcelain plate in front of her, her eye on the single chair across the table. However, at the sound of Willow and Cadenza entering the room, she stood up and made her way over to them. Cadenza raced past Willow and pounced onto Aria’s leg, giving her a hug. “Looks like somepony had a good nap,” Aria said, stroking Cadenza’s mane and smoothing out a few stray ends. “Uh-huh!” Cadenza nuzzled Aria on the leg and then broke away. She jumped up and down in place, her wings spread out to keep her in the air a second longer. “Daddy woke me up and then we flew over here! Oh!” Cadenza blushed again and fell still, looking at her hooves before twirling one of them on the floor. “Daddy said to calm down though. Sorry.” “It’s fine,” Aria chuckled. She bent down and flashed Cadenza a grin. “Flying with daddy can have that effect on ponies.” Cadenza gasped. “Daddy can carry grownups too?” “Of course I can,” Willow said, rushing up to Aria and grabbing her before she could say anything. With a flap of his wings, both of them were off the ground. Willow spun her around and lifted her even higher up with his legs before bringing her into an embrace. “If anypony gets hurt while I’m working, I have to be able to carry them. It’s also a great way to impress mares.” “Willow!” Aria called out, lightly pushing him away. Willow gave a nervous chuckle and then descended, setting Aria down and giving her a nuzzle. “It’s true though.” “You’re no better than a colt,” Aria playfully sighed and nuzzled him back. She then bent her head down to look at Cadenza, who was staring up at them. “How about we go sit down?” “Okay!” Cadenza said. While the family walked over to the table, Cadenza looked up at Aria. “Mommy, why were you here early?” “Mommy wanted to talk with Mr. Rune a little more before dinner.” Aria pulled out the middle chair and hoisted Cadenza into it. Once she was seated, Aria furrowed her brow at the empty chair across the table. “He’s usually here before us.” “Maybe he took a nap,” said Cadenza. “His lessons probably make him tired too!” Aria took her own seat and stared out through one of the massive windows. Night had fallen, and the mountains were now silhouettes over a sea of mist. The castle’s own shadow fell on the expansive valley, the early moonlight stretching its shape over the fog. “Hopefully, that won’t be the case starting next week.” Just as Willow sat down, a pair of doors, different from the ones Willow and Cadenza had used, opened. Two guards stepped in first and fanned out to door’s sides. Celestia’s mane flowed into the room while her shoes clinked against the strip of bare floor near the doors. Her legs moved gracefully and quickly across the ground, almost as if she were swimming through the air with each step. Mystic shuffled behind her, his legs hidden by his long cloak. When Celestia reached her personal chair, Willow, Aria, and Cadenza all bowed their heads. Celestia returned it with a nod. In the meantime, Mystic took the lone seat the sat opposite of Aria, Willow, and Cadenza. “My apologies for missing breakfast today.” Celestia paused and yawned into a hoof. “Fridays are not usually this hectic.” “Oh no, no, Princess,” Willow said while shaking a leg back and forth. “We know how busy your schedule can be.” “I suppose.” Celestia sighed before smiling. “Although, I did get a chance to review the weekend weather plan. Seems like the weather squad has set up some wonderful temperatures and skies.” “Daddy makes the best weather!” Cadenza excitedly raised her forelegs into the air, and Willow blushed a little. However, Cadenza’s legs suddenly flopped to her sides and she looked to Celestia with wide eyes. “Maybe I can go to the statue garden to better see what clouds he makes?” Celestia took a deep breath. “Sorry, Cadenza, but the gardens are always quite crowded on the weekend. A filly your size wouldn’t even be able to see the base of the statues, let alone the sky. I wouldn’t want you to get lost in the crowd either. We’ve also had quite a few scares when young ponies separate from their parents and stumble into the hedge maze.” A small smile came to her face. “Which is why I think taking a stroll through town would be more enjoyable.” “What?” Aria and Willow asked at the same time. Celestia leaned over the table so that she was eye-to-eye with Cadenza. “You would like that, right?” “Yes, yes, yes!” Cadenza nodded her head hard enough that her horn flicked against the table. She spun towards Aria, who was still staring over at Celestia with her lips pursed and one eyebrow raised. “Mommy! Mommy! We can go to that bakery! No, a toy store! Oh, what about th—” Willow laid his hooves on Cadenza’s shoulders to keep her from exploding out of her seat before to Celestia. His lips moved a few times as if testing what words to use before he actually spoke. “You’re… you’re sure it’s fine to go outside? I mean, the city will be very crowded too.” “I’m well aware of how the streets can be on the weekend.” Celestia glanced at the opposite end of the table where Mystic was sitting. She yawned again.“That’s why Mystic and I have a special gift to give Cadenza. Mystic, if you would.” A glow formed around a section of Mystic’s cloak, floating out of whatever hidden pocket it had been in and up over the table towards Cadenza. Encased in a blue aura was a silver chain necklace adorned with a single opal gem about the size of a foal’s hoof. While the chain reflected the magic’s glow, the stone shimmered with a prismatic light. She gaped at the jewelry while its light glistened in her eyes. “Pretty,” she said. “I suppose that is a benefit.” Mystic looked up at Aria and Willow. “It’s something the Guard have been working on for the pegasi squads and earth pony patrols. It’s imbued with a twenty-four hour tracking spell that allows other officers to find anypony that gets lost. It might be commercially available in a few years if we can figure out how to mass-produce them.” “It also makes a wonderful gift for a hard-working filly,” said Celestia. Her horn lit up, and a gold aura overtook Mystic’s. The necklace floated a little closer Cadenza. “Go ahead. Try it on.” Cadenza stared at the necklace for a moment longer before she slowly raised a hoof up to its chain. When her hoof touched the metal, the golden aura faded away from it and the necklace draped itself over Cadenza’s hoof. She stuck another hoof through the chain and pulled the necklace over her head. Letting it rest on her neck, Cadenza looked down, entranced by the colorful glow that poured off the opal stone. “Mommy? Daddy?” she asked turning her head back and forth at Willow and Aria. “Does it look pretty?” Neither Aria nor Willow said anything. Not a single feather was visible on Cadenza’s back now, only soft pink fur. They both glanced up at each other, looked down again, and then to Celestia, who now wore a playful grin. “Mommy? Daddy?” Cadenza asked again. “Is something wrong?” “N-no,” Willow blurted out. “You just look so pretty, it’s breathtaking.” “Really?” Cadenza gasped. With a wide grin, she jumped out of her seat and raced over to Celestia, giving one of her legs a hug. “Thank you, Aunt Celestia! Thank you!” Celestia smiled at Cadenza, allowing the filly to hold the hug. She bent down and lightly stroked her mane, but stopped, the smile fading from her face for a brief moment. She raised Cadenza’s head and pointed over to Mystic “Don’t forget to thank Mystic too,” she said. “He did most of the work.” Cadenza took a deep breath and then turned to Mystic, giving him a small bow of the head. “Thank you, Mr. Rune.” “You are welcome,” Mystic said, his expression masked by the shadows around his eyes and the premature wrinkles around his lips. “We can go over the details about how everything works later.” Celestia glanced over at the doors she’d come through when they groaned. “For now, how about we have dinner?” The doors fully opened and a tiny army of butlers marched in with platters and pitchers of water and juice floating by their heads. They moved in silence, save for the muffled sound of their hooves on the carpet until three of them were at each of the chairs. One set a platter down, another poured water or juice at their recipient's request, and the third one delicately laid a napkin over their laps. While the butlers worked, Willow’s mind was racing. Places to go, restaurants to visit, and sights to take Cadenza to all rushed through his brain. It was the collective build-up of five years within the castle. His eyes constantly glanced down at Cadenza’s back while she chatted with Aria about plans for tomorrow. He was caught between smiling and gaping at the sight, which only added to the hectic state of his mind. Something sparked in the reflection of his platter— a glint from up in the ceiling's rafters. He glanced up but saw only shadows. He turned his eyes down just as a butler lifted the covering up to reveal a luscious salad filled with vibrant greens and glistening with dressing. He was about take a bite out of it when he felt two small hooves pulling on his leg. Cadenza bounced beside him, her eyes wide in excitement. “Daddy!” she exclaimed. “Mommy says we should go to breakfast first tomorrow, but what do you want to do?” Thoughts of tomorrow came rushing back to Willow. He was speechless thinking up plans while his eyes lingered at Cadenza’s wingless back. He blinked, a small smile forming as he stared solely at Cadenza’s face. “Whatever you want.”