“Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It’s for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It’s for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they don’t see it nearly enough.”
I read this in a book once. One cold and lonely winter day after I left them. My friends, and the colt I loved back in the ivory palace my great Aunt Celestia ruled in. So far from where I lived in a domed castle, amongst cobblestone streets and the statues and piazzas of an ancient city by the Marediterran sea.
It seemed to describe my situation. I was alone. I had always been alone. Until I had met them. Until I met him.
Shining Armor.
I had been given a little time with him, time where I had learned what love was, and how very strong I could feel it. That I didn’t just spread it to other ponies’ hearts, but it sustained me and made me happy for the first time. That I was an ancient creature who needed the love of my destined pony to survive. A reality I had overcome, but I still would always need him. Even though I had left him I would wait for him. I’d go through all the loneliness and isolation if I could just see him again.
I had learned how hard it was to be apart from the pony I loved. How strong I could miss him, and how much my love grew in those lonely days.Sometimes my heart seemed to swell in my chest from just a simple thought about those happy days. It was hard to breathe, and tears would come to my eyes. I missed him so much. I missed them all so much.
I would do anything to go back to that time I spent in Canterlot and where I made my first friends. Every day since then I had wished on the stars and the lonely moon who always seemed to understand my solitude and longing, to go back. To see him one more time. To see his iridescent eyes that shone like his namesake, to feel his gentle touch, and to give him my heart as he had given me. I wanted to see Sweetheart and Twilight again too. All the ponies who had meant so much to me, and who I had had to say goodbye to so suddenly so long ago.
And on the summer of my fourteenth year, almost exactly one year later, my wish came true.
I was going back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Come on, wear it for me. Pleeeeaaaseee?” my mother floated over a tiny silver tiara to my head in her indigo coloured aura that was only a little darker than my own, but I playfully knocked it away with my horn.
“Mom, I don’t want to wear a crown, it’ll just be weird!” I complained as I watched the tiny crown fall onto a dress on my bed. I quickly folded the white and gold lined garment and tossed both carelessly into a suitcase to hide the silly thing.
I hummed a sweet melody, waving my tail around playfully as I happily continued my task, ignoring mom's disapproving glare. I was packing to go back. Back to Canterlot, and my one true happiness. My true love. And nothing could break my spirit.
I was accompanying my parents as ambassadors for Istalia, and meeting with the other kingdoms as my first experience as a representative for my country. I also had to attend a royal suitor’s debutante ball and present myself as Princess Celestia’s heiress to Equestria at the Summer Sun Celebration now that I had reached maturity. I wasn’t looking forward to having to meet other noble yearling colts, and especially didn’t want to be shown off like some sort of shiny new toy to them, or presented for marriage, but it didn’t matter. To set my hooves on the cobblestone streets of that glistening city, to see the ones I loved again, I would do anything. Even act like a real princess.
“Aw, but I thought you liked my lovely gift?” mom giggled demurely because she knew I didn’t. I was still a reluctant princess, although I had tried to act more formal throughout the past couple of months. I had tried my best to live up to what was and always would be expected of me. But I still hold onto a bit of the rebel in me.
I had recovered from the illness that almost took my life enough to attend school lessons again in the fall, and desperate to prove myself, or just to do something besides lying in bed all day, I had taken my studies more seriously, and learned all the important but dull things a young mare of nobility needed to know, along with developing my magic further so I could better tolerate strong emotions. Or at least I didn’t faint from them as much anymore. But there was no way I was going to trot around wearing a crown or tiara so everypony could look at me. Canterlot had been my safe haven from that kind of attention, and I knew I would lose it after the ceremony, so I wanted to hold on to my anonymity as much as I could.
“Look, we match!” my mother grinned, her voice squeaking happily and reminding me of the little filly I was so anxious to see again. She was so silly.
From Twilight’s excited letters to me I had heard how she had tried to enroll in the school for gifted unicorns again and Princess Celestia had made her her personal student due to some sort of magical efflux from her. My aunt had described her as the only unicorn she had seen with such strong, raw magic ability, and I had been so proud of her. I had always known that she was special. Now we were both Aunt Celestia’s students and was so glad that her dream had come true in such an unexpected way. I couldn’t wait to see her happy face as she took in all the knowledge there was to have from the libraries and archives in the great historical sun palace. She must be having a ball.
I was pulled back from my thoughts as I noticed that somehow my mom had managed to find and put the tiara on my head without my knowledge, and she pulled me over to my vanity mirror where I blinked as I saw our image reflected back at me.
We looked so much alike now. With my mane hanging loose down my back, my one magenta coloured streak matching hers while the gold and violet complimented the two of us. The tiara was silver with the Istalian amethyst crystal embedded in the middle, while my mother’s was the same, except it was a pure golden crown which she wore whenever she was in public. We looked more like sisters than mother and daughter now, and it was something I was proud of.
I was the same height as her now, and still growing taller so that I felt lanky and awkward with my long legs causing me to trip more than I already did. At only fourteen I was taller than most full grown mares, my wings were bigger than the other pegasi’s as they always had been, and my horn had grown longer and more powerful as I could finally properly cast the heart healing spell I had discovered while helping my sorrowful aunt only a year ago. I had tried it on a crying foal, and since their biggest sadness was dropping a cookie on the ground it hadn’t incapacitated me, just made the small child smile and I curiously practiced it as much as I could. I hadn’t come across true sorrow as I had seen through my aunt’s painful memories, but I could heal somepony’s broken heart, just as I had somehow healed my own.
“Cadenza, this is not a trip of leisure. This is your first time to accompany us to an ambassadorial meeting with representatives from all over Equestria, and you must behave like a proper young mare.” My father said with authority as he stepped into my room and grudgingly refolded the dresses I had packed so sloppily. I mimicked Twilight’s and my mom’s squeaky smile, sheepishly.
“And you will be seeing your knight in Shining Armor again, eh?” mom grinned, mischievously, nudging me, and I blushed.
“You have your royal duties now. You are not to be always running around with that colt all the time. You are a princess and it is high time you start acting like one.” My father scoffed. Then he glared at my mom, who smiled, innocently back at him. “And you. You hate these ambassadorial meetings. What are you so happy about?”
“I am happy for Cadenza. She is getting to see her dear friends again.” Mom smiled at me, and I returned it tender heartily. She was always so supportive. “And your special somepony.” She added, coyly.
“Mom!” I cried, embarrassed as I tried to cover my face in my hooves. But I ended up bursting into girlish giggles along with her. I was so happy. So very happy. Just as much as I had been when I first found love. My mom’s good natured teasing, or my dad’s scolding, or even the fear I felt toward having to become a proper princess could not make me feel any less so.
I was going back!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Welcome Istalians. It is wonderful to see you again.” My aunt’s warm voice washed over me as I stood with my family outside the Canterlot Castle gates after a long and tiring journey to the great mountainous city. I excitedly abandoned my formal stance beside my father to gallop up to her and hug her around the neck.
“Auntie!” I cried, joyfully. “I missed you!” Although a little caught off guard at first, the regal mare returned the embrace and nuzzled against my neck so I could smell her sweet flowery scent.
“Cadance, welcome. I am so glad to see you again.” She said, warmly as I stood back, stretching to my full height, eager to show her how tall I had grown that year. “You look so much stronger now. I’m so glad you are feeling better.”
I reared up on my hind legs and flapped my wings. “I’ve never been better!” I exclaimed. I glanced over to my father who had his hoof to his forehead in exasperation, and fell back to my four legs and blushed, smiling bashfully.
“That’s wonderful to hear.” Princess Celestia smiled as she looked me over, her eyes growing pensive and somewhat sad to my sensitive heart. I tilted my head to one side and looked up to her with concern.
“You look so much like her now…” she sighed, distantly.
“Who? Who do I look like?” I suddenly found myself ask her excitedly, completely ignoring the empathy I was feeling toward her. I couldn’t help it. I still felt uncomfortable as an alicorn, but now that I was growing up I was so curious to know what an alicorn looked like at my age. Was I tall enough? Would I really grow taller? Was my muzzle going to get longer too? I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t think I’d like that.
“Is it another alicorn? Do I look like one now? Why don’t you have any pictures of you when you were younger?” I demanded, hopping up and down on the balls of my hooves, my wings continuing to flap, anxiously.
It seemed that getting stronger and being able to function when there were strong emotions present wasn’t very becoming of me. Even my aunt seemed a little troubled by how untroubled I was. But she softened into a gentle smile as my father shouted at me to stop pestering the princess, and startled, I tripped over my own hooves and landed flat on my belly.
The high Princess came over to me, and leaned down as I blushed at my clumsiness, feeling a whole lot less confident and trying to hide behind my hooves.
“You’re growing into a beautiful young alicorn, Cadance.” She said, nuzzling me back up to my hooves. “But you shouldn’t be so eager to grow up. You should cherish your childhood.”
I scoffed. “Father says I’m already grown up. That’s why I have to attend all these royal functions. Bleh.” I stuck my tongue out. “Why do I have to be introduced to suitors anyway? I already have a coltfriend and I love him.” I mumbled, a little afraid to ask this question, and what my regal aunt’s answer would be.
She sighed. “Cadance, it is a royal tradition for ponies of royalty such as yourself to marry into the nobility, and they are forbidden to marry a commoner,” my heart dropped as did my mouth before I properly thought through what she was saying, and my gentle aunt lifted my chin up to look into her deep, magenta eyes. “I do not enforce those rules. I have not abided by them for many years. Your own father married into the royal family, my niece, and I would never force you to marry somepony you didn’t love.”
I felt air rush through my lungs again, after realizing I had been holding my breath, and I managed to return my aunt’s soft smile.
“You just go through the motions, present yourself as the beautiful princess you are to the young stallions of Equestria, but let your heart guide you to your destiny,” She gave a droll grin. “Even if you’ve seemed to have found it already with that pesky Mederi blood in you.”
I smiled, wryly in return, blushing a little at the reminder of my great weakness
“You’ll always be my little niece to me.” Aunt Celestia giggled, magically adjusting the tiara on my head as it had fallen over my eyes in my tumble, and I clutched her in a hug again. It felt like I was home again. Like I belonged in Canterlot, in her embrace, and with my friends. Instead of in the prison that was Istalia, and with my own parents, especially with how overbearing my father had become. I wished I would never have to leave.
Last summer I had learned to appreciate the love I had right in front of me. But it seemed that only a year later I had forgotten it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hurriedly unpacked as if a thousand unicorns were helping me lift and fold my belongings, and put them away in the familiar guestroom where I had lived the previous summer. My mother even helped, but mostly she made sure I didn’t ‘accidentally’ unpack my crown too. I grudgingly kept it on as I rushed around brushing out my mane and tail, and made sure my coat shone as bright as it did when I had scrubbed it raw in the shower. I was surprised to even have mom offer to help me put on some lavender eye shadow which she used to forbid me from doing.
"You look beautiful, Mia. I’m sure your coltfriend will be happy to see you again, just as much as you are.” She smiled tenderly as she finished brushing the purple powder across my eyelids and I opened my eyes again. “I haven’t seen you this happy for a long time. I’m glad for you, I really am, but please try to remember who you are, and that you’re needed here too.”
I had written to Shining Armor when I found out I was coming back. Despite my jubilation, and in between what must have been nonsensical writing derived of pure excitement, I had arranged to meet him at the royal sisters fountain after I arrived, just as we had done that summer. Now that the appointed time was approaching I was eager to get going, while at the same time not being able to believe that the time had come. That I was actually going to see him again. It was kind of surreal, and I felt like I was in a dream world. My heart beat wildly at the thought that I would soon be in his warm arms again, and I had to pinch myself periodically to ascertain it wasn't just a dream.
“Don’t worry mom. I won’t let you down. I’ll try to be a good princess for you.” I promised, somewhat distractedly, my hooves tapping against the floor.
Mom frowned slightly, but then shifted into a smile. “Alright, go on then. But don’t be late for your appointment at the clinic.”
I bent my ears back, and paused in my excited steps, now sure it wasn't all a dream. The reality was right there in front of me, as it always had been.
“Aw, do I have to? I feel fine now. I don’t wanna go back to the hospital.” I whined, feeling anxiety from the memories of what I had gone through only a year ago. But I was stronger now. There was no reason to think that I hadn’t completely healed from my ordeal. I didn’t want to have to face the doctors again to be told so. I just wanted to go on with my life and forget that that had ever happened to me. That I had ever let such despair consume me as to have found myself so close to death. That that was who I was. An ancient creature who had only been able to survive with love. Not just the princess my family wanted me to be.
My mother gave me her stern, no nonsense look and I sighed. “Fine, I’ll be back in time.” I muttered, and then bounded out the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I galloped through the streets of Canterlot unaware of the looks I got from the ponies around me. The stares and the comments, the excited shouts of ‘princess’ didn’t reach me. I didn’t fly, but my wings were spread as my heart soared in happiness knowing I would soon see him again. My best friend. My true love. Shining Armor.
He was standing in the square looking around somewhat nervously. His familiar messy mop of a mane a little shorter, a little less messy. His white coat glinting in the sunlight, pure as snow against his deep blue eyes. My white knight.
“Shiny!” I shouted in glee, and jumped on the unsuspecting colt, somehow tackling him to the ground into the most adoring and joyful hug. My heart pounded with exhilaration and love as I met eyes with him for the first time in so many months of longing for him.
“Cadance!” he cried, a little slow to react from being knocked over, but just as happily, his somewhat deeper voice rising as he wrapped his hooves around me and kissed my cheek. I nuzzled against his neck, relishing in the feel of him against me again, his soft coat, his pepperminty smell, the strong forelegs around me. We unanimously jumped up again, rearing up on our hind legs in a dance of jubilation, our hind hooves meeting each other.
“It’s so great to see you again! I missed you.” He exclaimed, and we came to a stop and stood still in front of each other, breathing heavily.
“I missed you too.” I stepped forward and nuzzled the side of his neck, closing my eyes that were suddenly filled with tears as he returned the embrace.
I was a little taller than him now, making it hard to lean under him as I had done, but he was stronger, more muscular, with a large barrel chest I only had ever seen on full grown stallions; namely the royal guard. He was so much bigger now I might not have recognized him. But he would always be the most handsome stallion to me, and I’d always know him from his kind eyes, his silly grin. The love I could sense from him.
“You look strong again. I’m glad you’re better now. You really worried me.” He said, tenderly, and I nodded against him, wordlessly letting him know that I was here, I was well again. He didn’t need to worry anymore.
“And how did you get taller than me?” he demanded with mock chagrin.
I giggled. “I’m a princess. We have royal stature.” I stood up straight and tall and spread my wings. I had forgotten that he barely knew the alicorn me. The real me. He had only seen my true self when I was weak and sickly. Not the royal pony I could have been.
“Uh yeah, about that…” he paused, his tone worried as he looked around, then nervously settled his eyes back on me.
My heart dropped. Did he not want this? Was my being royalty still too much for him? Was this going to happen to me all over again?
“You’re wearing a crown now…” he continued as I started to hyperventilate a little, stepping back from him. “…that’s not good.”
“Wh-what?” I stammered, but suddenly I was blinded by a flash of light to my side, and I raised my hoof and turned away to shield my eyes. When I looked back again Shining Armor was in front of me, braced as if he was shielding me from something.
“I was afraid of this…” he muttered, turning to me, grimly. “You should go.”
I was about to protest, despair from his sudden coldness toward me threatening to push me to my knees, but then my eyes fully recovered from the bright light that had blinded me, and I saw what was going on around me.
We were surrounded. By groups of mares and stallions alike, even some foals. Most of them had cameras around their necks and continued to cheer and snap photos, the cause of the flash of light that had blinded me.
It was the end of my anonymity. Shining Armor wasn’t abandoning me, he was trying to protect me from them. The ponyrazzi were here.
“It’s the princess!” the voices called out from all around me. “The debutante representing the west regions of Equestria. She’s going to be at the Summer Sun Celebration this year!”
“She’s an alicorn!”
“She’s the heiress to Princess Celestia!”
“Look, she’s with a colt! Scandaaaall!”
Their voices seemed to echo with each snap and flash of their stupid cameras, so all I could do was lower my head to hide from their invasive shouts and photos. I had encountered the meddlesome and disrespectful group of amateur photographers known as the ponyrazzi at my parents’ public appearances in Istalia before, but had never been bothered by them in Canterlot. I had always either been kind of invisible; an unknown princess. Or in the months where I’d hid my wings from Shining Armor, ponies hadn’t thought twice about me. Now I was tall, my wings were spread, and I was even wearing a crown. I couldn’t hide anymore.
“Leave us alone!” Shining Armor shouted, backing up against me.
“Are you the princess’s coltfriend? Where did you meet? You’re not even a royal.” One annoyingly voiced mare spoke up, haughtily, shoving a microphone in the colt’s face, and that made me mad. I was prepared to be tortured by them. Not so soon maybe, but I knew that after the celebration I would be known as Princess Celestia’s heiress to everypony, and I would have to accept that, but I did not want them bothering Shining Armor, or insulting him in anyway. They had already ruined our reunion.
I opened my wings and flew over the crowd, landing hard on the street behind them to distract them from Shining Armor.
“You want a scoop, huh? Come and get me!” I shouted, angrily, rearing up on my hind legs as the crowd turned to me. Then with a flash of light brighter than any camera, I looked over to see Shining Armor materialize beside me. I forgot he could teleport.
"Hey, you don’t have to worry about me. But I’m not leaving your side.” He grinned, and touched by his resolve I smiled back at him with determination, and then we turned and galloped together through the streets of Canterlot with the herd of ponyrazzi following close behind.
We ran as far as the castle gates and breathing hard I turned to him sadly as our pursuers caught up to us, and I realized I had nowhere to go but back inside. I had barely gotten to talk to him. It wasn’t fair.
“Come meet me at the palace later, OK.” I pleaded.
“Twily’s there. I’ll come get her and see you then.” He promised, kissing me lightly on my cheek so I blushed. “It’s been an honour serving you, princess.” He lifted his hoof to his head in a salute with his silly grin.
I quickly nuzzled him before jumping into the air and flying up and over the gates, pausing to see the crowd seem to devour my poor, heroic coltfriend. But then his familiar rose coloured flash of light shone out from the ground, and when the ponies dispersed, he was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Ugh! It’s not fair!” I shouted, stomping into the throne room where my aunt was sitting working wearily on some paperwork. My sudden, vehement entrance had startled her along with her assistant, and she dropped the pile of papers to the ground while the poor unicorn beside her jumped a mile.
“Cadance, whatever is the matter?” she exclaimed, standing up and coming over to me, worriedly.
I felt a little embarrassed to have startled her and the other pony, but it didn’t stop my anger at being chased away from my coltfriend who I hadn’t seen for a year by a bunch of photographers who didn’t respect anypony’s privacy. Never less a princess’s.
“It’s the stupid ponyrazzi!” I cried, angrily, as she stepped back a little. “They chased me away from Shining Armor before I even got to talk to him!” I snorted and leaned over, breathing heavily as I tried to calm down. I was winded from the chase, but also angry and hurt, still dealing with some of the effects of when he had suddenly grew so cold to me. But mostly I hated those meddling ponies for taking away my one happiness, and hate never mixed well with me.
“Oh dear. I should have warned you,” The princess frowned and the cream colour unicorn assistant joined her, deftly holding up the papers in her strangely white aura.
“Warned me about what?”
“Your highnesses if I may say something…” the unicorn mare spoke up suddenly, and I turned to her sharply. After what had happened I didn’t have the patience to be interrupted. But I wasn’t going to dismiss her input.
“Yes…”
“All of Canterlot is looking forward to meeting you, Princess. We have never experienced a princess’s debut and you are the first alicorn besides her majesty, Princess Celestia that we have seen. The foals particularly are so excited to be able to see a young princess’s debut. My own daughter is very adamant to meet you. She thinks you’re beautiful if I may say so.” The mare smiled, and I blushed a little, warmed by her explanation.
I had forgotten that other ponies must see me as having a fairytale life. That little fillies dreamed of being princesses like Twilight had done. That I represented the hopes and dreams of little foals everywhere, even if in reality royalty could be difficult. But I still didn’t want to be barred from going out in public and meeting my friends by those ponies who just wanted to make bits off of my celebrity and the Equestrians’ happiness.
“Royal Ribbon is right, Cadance,” Aunt Celestia added. “Your appearance at the Summer Sun Celebration this year has been of much consideration, and ponies from all over Equestria are coming just to get a glimpse of you. I know you value your privacy but your friends are welcome here anytime, and the royal guard can accompany you if you wish to go out.” She paused and sighed as she noticed that I didn’t share in her enthusiasm with my glum expression.
“The ponyrazzi can be a meddlesome and rude group, along with any other curious pony. But just remember that they love you and you are bringing them happiness.” She smiled in her wise and warm way, but I knew it bothered her just as much as it did me. That wasn’t real love. Real love came from the ponies who cared for you for who you were, not because of your status. I had successfully proven this in my unintended experiment just last summer. Although it had not been without its’ complications.
Still, her next words brought a smile back to my face.
“In any case, now that you are free, there is somepony in my library who would very much like to see you again.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Canterlot Castle Library was closed to the public, and the gifted unicorns’ school that primarily used it had let out for the summer. But being alone had never stopped Twilight Sparkle before, and I found her holed up at a desk intensely reading some dusty old tome much as she had when I first met her.
I could see the newly earned magenta coloured starburst on her side as she crouched on the cushion, unaware that I hid behind her. It was an intricate cutiemark, somewhat more detailed than the ones I was used to, not discounting my own of course. Instead of one or two simple symbols, it was a six pointed starburst surrounded by five more stars. It actually was a little like Shining Armor’s, who had a similar star within his shield, and I wondered why that was.
I nimbly held onto a tray with two cups of sweet, fruit flavoured herbal tea in my magic, and then softly got to my hooves, trying not to let the concentrating filly notice me.
“Don’t you think it is about time for a break, my little pony?” I smiled, lowering the tray in front of her as she turned around.
“Cady!” the little unicorn whinnied happily, and I had just enough time to set the tray down before she jumped on me, no longer big enough to topple me over, but I went down anyway, hugging her blissfully, as she flung her hooves around my neck.
“Twilight. I missed you.” I breathed, my always overbearing emotions presenting themselves to me after so long being kept back. But this time they were happy. Joyful. And I welcomed them.
“I missed you too---Oh!” the filly suddenly jumped off me and then crouched down, wriggling her tail as she grinned at me. I followed her as if we were led by a string guiding our hooves. It was our silly dance. Our little rhyme. The symbol of our friendship.
“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”
As we came to a stop, giggling happily, Twilight blinked her large violet eyes up at me, curiously. “Whoa, you got tall.” She mused.
“Well, you got a cutiemark!” I countered, poking her side.
“Oh, yeah! Look! It’s a star!” she stuck out her side, proudly showing off the little pink starburst before continuing. “Cuz my special talent is magic, and I turned my parents into plants, and made Spike big----“ she suddenly held up a little purple and green…. reptile? I had no idea, but it smiled at me and stuck its claw in its mouth like a foal. But then she tucked it away before I could make any sense of it.
“----and Princess Celestia was so impressed she made me her own special student. So now I have a special cutie mark, and I’m Princess Celestia’s student just like you!” she happily hopped around just as I remembered her doing, but it was amazing to see her so happy because her dream had come true. I had always known she was special, but I had never imagined she would become my aunt’s protege. And I was soon about to get a taste of that wild and untamed magic of which made her such a special pony.
“So, what do you and my auntie do all day?” I asked, wryly.
“Princess Celestia is the most beautiful, most kindest, most smartest pony ever. You are soooo lucky she is your aunt! She teaches me all about magic, and magic theory and magic history and.... and... magicians! Did you know that Starswirl the Bearded might have been even more powerful than her?” she demanded, jumping on her reading desk and getting right up in my face.
I blinked. “No. I did not know that.”
“Its true! She says that a pony’s power is not based on whether they are a unicorn or alicorn or even earth pony or pegasus, but by the focus they put into their inherent magic, and the strength of their will." She explained, emphatically.
That I did know. Twilight must have had some strong willpower in that little filly body of hers.
"I see," I replied, sitting down at the desk and passing her the tea which she eagerly started sipping. I wondered how long she had been studying in there, and when she had last had anything to eat or drink. She could get pretty obsessive.
“Why don’t you show me what you’ve been studying?” I offered, picking up my own tea. Her enthusiasm was starting to wear me out already.
“Okay!” she exclaimed, and wriggled onto the cushion with me so she could look at her book again. I followed her lead and read over the page she was on. It seemed to be some sort of matter transmutation spell. A complicated and easily misinterpreted magic I couldn’t really see the little filly doing. Still, she had surprised me before, so I watched, encouragingly as she concentrated intensely on a small paperweight on the desk, crouching down with her tail twitching slightly as her small horn powered up with a magenta aura. A blast of light bigger than I thought could be produced from such a small unicorn body shot out from her horn and hit the paperweight enveloping it in her bright pink light. And just as I was about to console her for the spell seeming to fail, it suddenly exploded into a million pieces, and I had just enough time to throw my body on top of her before the beam of light ricocheted off the pieces and hit the wall in front of us, blasting a hole through the plaster and causing debris to fall on us causing much less injury to me than it would to her smaller form under me.
“Mi Amore Cadenza! What is the meaning of this?” I lifted my head up, shaking the gray dust and plaster off me to see my father standing in front of me. He didn’t look happy.
“Whoa, that was not supposed to happen.” Twilight grumbled, rubbing her mane as she got to her hooves. Then she saw my angry looking and intimidating father and her eyes grew wide, and the little imp actually pointed her hoof at me as if I had been the one to blow up the wall. I glared at her, and was about to point my hoof right back, but I stopped. I understood why she had done it.
“Sorry, father. It was an accident with a spell I was showing my friend. I’ll get it cleaned up and apologize to Princess Celestia right away.” I stepped forward and calmly approached him. I didn’t want him to scare the little filly. I didn’t want her to get into trouble. If I took the blame at least the palace would go easy on me because I was royalty. I turned to Twilight and winked, smiling weakly, but she seemed shocked and didn’t respond.
“This is reckless and dangerous behaviour. And in front of a young and impressionable filly. Why can’t you ever act like a proper young lady?” he demanded.
I bowed my head and apologized again. It was all I could do.
“We will have to get somepony else to clean this. I came looking for you because you are late for your appointment at the hospital. Let’s go.”
Shoot. I hadn’t wanted to be late for that. I had promised mom I wouldn’t be. Maybe I really was a poor excuse for a princess.
Sighing, I followed my father out of the library, giving one last sad look at Twilight as he called over a royal guard to inform him of the hole in the wall that needed attending to. The little unicorn looked kind of guilty so I smiled to cheer her up. She smiled back and waved meekly, but I hated leaving her. Taking the blame for her wasn’t going to be worth anything if she got caught right in the middle of it. I hoped she’d have the sense to leave the scene .
I hadn’t even gotten to see Shining Armor again when he picked her up. Nothing seemed to be working out that day, I thought to myself as I trudged behind my cold and overbearing father to face my past.
And my fate.