Amber Shine blinked as he came back into consciousness, rubbing his head as he blinked. A low groan as he felt the grogginess start to fade from his brain and muscles. He squinted in the bright light as he looked around and saw the morning sun starting to shine in through the window’s blinds.
“Oh my head…” He muttered as he rubbed the side and looked down to see he was able to move both his legs with no pain. He started to flex it slowly and grimaced as a sore feeling came from his muscles, something that he hadn’t felt since he was in a gym class at Canterlot High. Flipping off the blankets again with his magic he saw his midsection was still wrapped up in the medical gauze.
He heard a hard knocking on his door that made him jump a bit and saw a shadowy figure framed in the doorway. He gulped a bit as he adjusted himself on his bed and covered most of his midsection up with the blanket, shaking his head quickly to rid himself of the fog that seemed to still cling to his brain.
“Come in.” He called his voice a bit scratchy but still firm. He watched as the door opened and a tall dark figure came into the room that made him catch his breath.
“I beg thine forgiveness; the medical staff reported to my sister what had happened during our conversation.” Princess Luna said as she walked closer to the unicorn who was breathing slowly, a mix of fear and amazement of who was so close to him.
“D-Don’t mention it.” He said in a nervous tone trying to smile, “I, I was just surprised to figure out that i-it was you that I pushed away from getting hit.”
“Yes I realize this, and I thank thee again for your act.” She said with a kind smile and moving to sit casually by his bed as her eyes was lightly glowing the morning light. “Though I came to speak with thee of the reward I seek to give you.”
“Reward, oh I don’t need any reward. Honestly it was something anypony would have-“He started before he felt something be shoved into his mouth, his tongue tasting the chocolate bar that had been so unceremoniously used to silence him. He saw the princess had peeled the wrapper off with her magic and dropping it into the nearby trash bin.
“I understand many ponies would not take such a reward,” She said simply as she motioned for him to continue. “But I also need a…” She said and tapped her chin in thought. “Oh what would be the correct word for what I seek of your duty?” She narrowed her eyes thinking.
As Amber pulled the chocolate out of his mouth with his own magic with a large bite taken out of it as he swallowed the huge back and shook his head. “Oh uh, maybe you’re thinking of a personal assistant?” He tried still rubbing his head as he felt a dull act from the medicine.
“Yes I believe that is the phrase mine sister used. Though it is also similar to a hand maiden yes?” She asked a wide smile on her face.
“I guess so…” He said trying not to sound clueless as he said and Luna smiled nodding.
“Yes I require a personal assistant to aid me in the matters of the Night Court, my sister has been doing her best to keep my understanding of modern matters and meanings of matters up to date,” She said simply, “But I need aid in more matters of average ‘every night’ life. How the things of this time period works.”
“So, you want me to help you with the Night Court and help you figure things out?” Amber asked with a brow raised.
“Yes, I believe though my original thought of a reward was much more preferable though my sister said such a thing was inappropriate.” She said, “That having such Male attendants had gone out of practice a hundred years after I had been banished.”
“Male Attend-“Amber started to ask but stopped and blushed heavily, his eyes looking quickly away from the Princess. “I-I uh…I guess that won’t be too hard to do. I mean the offer you gave me of course. The assistant position not the…” He started stammering before the chocolate bar was forced back into his mouth by the Princess’s magic.
“I understood thine meaning the first time, have no fear.” She said with a hearty laugh. “I wish for you to rest for this day, the magic I used in aiding your damaged legs drained much of your body’s calories. I would suggest a fairly large amount of food; I will collect thee tonight for your introduction of duties.”
As Amber had worked to swallow the second humongous bite of the chocolate and shook his head still blushing. He watched as the Princess nodded one last time to him as she walked out of the room before he could finally finish the bite, he felt an emptiness of stomach and finished the fairly large bar. He leaned back as his stomach still grumbled as if hungry and he heard another knock on his door.
“Come in.” He said loudly, his throat less scratchy as he rubbed the side of his head. The nurse who had brought in the crystal ball was pushing a large metal cart with the smell of food coming from it.
“I was told to bring you a full course meal from the royal kitchens, something about the magic Princess Luna did on you that would make you hungry.” She said pushing it closer, the colt sniffing the rich smells as the table was pushed closer to him and the large meal lay out in front of him. The covers coming off to show some of the juiciest red apples he had ever seen a few salads along with a large bowl of pasta.
“Oh this looks delicious, thanks.” Amber said as he breathed in the heavenly odor, the nurse smiling at him as she exited the room with the rest of the cart.
“Enjoy, I hope I don’t see you around as a patient much longer.” The nurse said before closing the door, Amber stopping to think about what was just said. Finally shrugging as the smells of the meal clogged his senses making him decide it was a compliment.
The meal was, to put it lightly, magical to the unicorn. He was not a part of a poor family, not by a long shot, but he hadn’t had apples so fresh or bread so sweet ever in his life. He kept chowing down before finishing three apples before moving onto the large bowl of pasta. The meal taking him more than an hour to finish all the food before he leaned back. He leaned back feeling as full as a bursting balloon.
He smiled sleepily as he stretched back, moving his back legs and front legs slowly. Feeling an odd soreness in his muscles as he stretched, yawning softly as he felt the fullness start to lull him off into the land of dreams.
“Amber? Amber Shine art thou ready to wake?” Luna’s voiced asked as Amber started to wake up, turning over a bit looking up as his eyes opened. Of course the normal view of the ceiling would have greeted him, but the face of the Princess of the Night was not five inches from his face.
“Ah good to see thou art awake.” The Princess aid not moving from her spot, staring straight into Amber’s face as his eyes widened. “Art thou ready for the first showing of the Nightly Court?”
“Uh…” He said before he felt himself be lifted as Luna moved backwards, he looked around and saw the starry magical aura surrounding his body as it was surrounding the princess’s horn. He nodded quickly as he was placed gently onto the floor, his legs wobbling lightly from the pain in his side. “Yes, yes of course Princess.”
Princess Luna tilted her head and then nodded to him as she walked out of the door, Amber looking around and glancing at the gauze still wrapped around him as he followed her. As he stepped out of the room he squinted as he saw high lights in the corridor of the small medical wing, only a few of the rooms occupied and those that weren’t had their doors wide open.
“Now we must retrieve for you the proper attire for the courtly duties you’ll be aiding in.” Luna said as she started down the corridor and out of the medical wing and toward a small stair case.
“What kind of…Attire do you mean?” Amber asked as he followed her slowly and descended into the floor below, before spying a large room with its doors wide open. A few ponies running around trailing fabric and thread all over, though all seemed to be ‘bat ponies’ that had sprung up in the recent months.
“Artemis!” The Princess shouted, or at least said loud enough that it seemed like a shout causing all of the ponies to stop what they were doing before a mare with long azure hair and two wings to fly in front of the princess and hover there.
“What may I do for you Princess?” The bat mare asked bowing her head lightly.
“I need you and your fellow seamstresses to create a well made set of clothing for Amber here, something fitting of the Night Court.” The Princess explained causing the bat ponies, all mares, to look at him.
“What style would you like?” Artemis asked with a smile, showing a pair of long canines that made Amber’s eyes widen a bit glancing toward Luna.
“I want you to find something that portrays his position of my personal assistant.” The Princess said as Artemis nodded.
“As you wish Princess, we will require him for at least an hour for the fitting and such.” The batpony explained as she glanced at Amber with a feral grin.
“You have my permission.” The Princess said as Amber looked at her with a shock.
“Oh excellent!” Artemis said as Luna lifted the colt off the ground and into the room. “We’ll take excellent care and make him perfect for his first night of court.”
The other mares hurried off to collect bolts of cloth, some running to get rolls of thread, and as Amber was lowered the mares were measuring him. He looked at Luna who seemed to be ecstatic as she turned away. Walking away she glanced back to them all the doors being closed by her magic.
“Do not worry Amber Shine; we are confident that they will not bite you. Though if they do they shant bite thee too hard.” The Princess said causing the color to drain from Amber’s face and the Bat Ponies laugh loudly looking at him as he cowered backward slowly.
“Alright girls,” Artemis said cracking her neck loudly and her legs. “Let’s get this night off right.”