//------------------------------// // 9 - Dangerous // Story: Just Roll With It // by sunnypack //------------------------------// Chapter 9: Dangerous The castle wasn’t very far so getting through the small forest surrounding my house and into the castle’s ‘front lawn’ wasn’t particularly difficult, the architecture of the castle was inspired though. Twisting towers, heavy stones blocks, walls and battlements with very wide windows filled with what looked like stained glass. It was apparent that the castle was built more for the looks rather than the functionality of defence that my world favoured castles for in their time. Either that or warfare was conducted quite differently here. I approached the front gates through a delicately smooth paved path lined with an assortment of small flowers to each side. I took in some strangely sculpted hedges which appeared to depict mythical creatures, or perhaps local ones, I wasn’t so sure. Small birds and butterflies flittered about in the calming garden-entrance of this castle and the sunset back drop created a breathtaking vista that left me gaping. But what struck me as the most prominent feature of the castle was not any of these things. It was the huge double helix structure featured at the centre of the castle encircling a solid red crystal sphere pulsing with actinic light. The glow filled me with a sense of calm inner peace as if I hadn’t a care in the world. “Come oooon!” Luna whined, tugging at my hair with her mouth. “Let’s go!” Celestia and Cadance looked at me with disgruntled expressions. “Okay, okay!” I replied, rolling my eyes. “It’s my first time in a castle, give me a break.” We continued along the pathway, finally reaching the gate. The gate was guarded by some sort of guard or soldier pony wearing light silver metal armour embellished with strands of red curving motifs. The armour appeared to be covering his back and his hooves and supplemented a helmet which adorned his head. The armour reminded me vaguely of ancient roman armour if only for the crest on the top of the helmet. I stopped as the white-coated pony barked at me. “Halt!” I waited some measure away as he approached me with an intense, appraising gaze that seemed to bore straight into my soul. His sky-blue eyes locked with mine. His mouth quirked slightly to the left. “I only have one question," he stated, with my full attention on him. “Can I have your autograph?” He said breaking out into a grin. I did a mental double take. “W-What?” I stammered, tilting my head in confusion. An autograph?! The guard nodding enthusiastically, his wings fluttered. Oh, he’s got wings. A pegasus, perhaps? Or maybe they are called something different here? “I’ve never met an alien before! This is exciting! It’s not too much trouble is it?” I carefully set Cadance and Celestia down on their hooves, leaving Luna clinging to my shoulder/neck. I patted down my clothes. “I’ve uh, never had this kind of attention before so I’m afraid I didn’t bring a pen with me," I admitted but the guard only cocked his head in response. “What’s a pen?” “It’s for writing with, uhm, do you have anything else?” I asked, looking at the guard. He nodded vigorously, giving me a beaming smile. “A pen? Possibly some advanced alien technology-“ he caught himself and moved on “-no problem, sir. I have a quill and parchment with me… Ah here you go," he chattered, passing me a quill, an ink pot and parchment. I carefully knelt down on the ground, so that Luna wouldn’t fall off. He glanced at the three foals as if suddenly registering them in his mind. “Princesses," he greeted, suddenly rigid, then bowing low. Celestia rolled her eyes. “I keep telling you not to do that!” She huffed, crossing her hooves in front of her. I looked at Cadance in question. “Celestia thinks that the guards that stopped bowing are more friendly," she explained. I was only more confused. “She doesn’t like it when ponies bow, she says she can’t see their faces.” “It’s true!” Celestia pouted, pointing at the guards. “No faces, no talking, no bowing!” She scrunched up her face in annoyance. “Being a princess is boring," she growled, then she glanced back at me. “But you don’t do that, I haven’t met anypony that didn’t do that first. You’re special.” I chuckled, returning my attention to the quill and ink. “I’m sorry," I finally said, looking between the implements. “I have no idea how to use these properly.” “Ah," the guard muttered. “I should have known you might of have difficulty with this, differences between worlds and all. I’m so sorry. If you have the time, please visit me in the guard barracks. My name is Steady Lance.” With that he opened the gates, waving us through. Celestia and Cadance trotted next to me while I waved back at the guard as we parted, walking the short distance to the castle double doors. I glanced once more at the red crystal orb, before being met with yet more guards adorned with the same type of armour. These two didn’t seem much of the talkative type but they didn’t give us any trouble when they spotted the princesses. As soon as we stepped into the castle, a pony dressed in robes approached us immediately and gave a bow. “Princesses," she greeted, nodding at the foals. Celestia had her pout on again. She must not like the castle staff. “You must be Harmony," she said flashing violet eyes at me. Wow, talk about genetic phenotypes, these ponies had all the colours of the rainbow. “Yep," I replied, moving Luna to my arms as I felt her grip weakening. She curled up as I hugged her to my chest. “My name is List, the Royal Seneschal, Queen Tempora has asked to see you, when you arrived," the lavender mare bowed again and gestured to her right. “Please come with me.” I stopped her with a cough and List turned back to face me with a questioning look. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask. How long were you waiting for us?” List paused and looked outside, noting the sun’s position through the window. “Judging from the zenith to my Lady’s set, it would be perhaps two to three hours," she replied easily. My eyes widened in surprised. “I’m sorry, two to three hours?” I repeated, gobsmacked. List nodded and beckoned to us again. “Come along, Her Majesty will be waiting.” I shook my head but kept quiet as we followed List and made our way through the wide halls. I glanced at portraits of ponies in various fancy clothing and apparel posing in portraits lining the walls. I sighed, my mind in a fuzz, feeling a sudden pang of loneliness. I was a long way away from home. Apart from my Dad I was probably the only other human here, right? What of my friends, would they worry? How about Grandma? Did she know? When I see my Dad I would sit him down and have a serious talk. I need to get back to do a little preparation at least. The house came with us so that was a bonus. I doubted there would be microwave food though. Perhaps we could convince chefs or the like to make peanut butter, for both my Dad’s and Luna’s sake. The seneschal lead us through a dizzying set of twists and turns and I quickly gave up trying to remember where we had walked. She stopped at a massive ornate double door that had various pegasi, unicorns, regular ponies and a winged unicorn that dominated the centre of the relief. I admired the carvings as I waited for List to talk with the two guards standing in front of the door and letting someone on the inside know that we were here. The door was suffused with a red sparkling field and the two doors swung silently open to admit us. List approached the throne with a bow. I remained standing because I hadn’t really bowed to Tempora before, having little concept of the royal title she held actually conveyed and also because bowing with Luna cradled in my arms would be awkward. I settled for a casual nod and a smile. Tempora smiled back at me from the raised throne on the dais. “Thank you List, as always, impeccable service," Tempora thanked her voice echoing powerfully in the massive throne room. List bowed again. “Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty," she replied, stepping to the side. Tempora approached me with a pleasant warmth. Both Celestia and Cadance darted forward to be met halfway with nuzzling and licking. They carried on for long enough for me to shift my feet and let loose a small cough. “O-Oh.” Tempora blushed, leaning back. “My apologies, I really can’t resist my own foals.” I shrugged good naturedly. I wouldn’t have carried Luna all the way if I could resist their stares. Tempora leant to the side and List hurried forward to collect Celestia and Cadance. They both gave me looks of undisguised longing and I had to resist an urge to chase after them. List looked at me expectedly as she presented her side to me. I realised she wanted me to place Luna on her back. Wasn’t that dangerous? I shrugged. Tempora wouldn’t trust her children with a person, I mean pony, who didn’t know what they were doing. I gently placed Luna on her back, giving her a small stroke on her head before we parted. List gave both of us a bow and then left, Celestia and Cadance in tow. When she left, I continued our conversation. “That’s alright. You haven’t seen my Dad around have you?” I asked, cast my gaze around in case he was playing jack-in-the-box around here. Tempora shook her head. “No, that stallion is quite the escape artist when it comes to needing him for, hmm, ‘petty things’ as he put it," she states, rolling her eyes. I chuckle at that, sounds like my father. She knows him well. “I called you here because I knew you were taking good care of my daughters. I am very happy you have both gotten along so well. Max has told me you were very kind and I’m happy to see that come through-“ she paused “-even though that kindness may extend a bit further than my liking.” Her tail flicked in dismissal. “We’re not here to speak about such things though, I was just letting you know that you’re invited to have tea with me in my personal garden at noon, tomorrow.” It sounded less like an invitation and more like a statement of fact. “Uhuh," I said doubtfully. Queen Tempora sighed. “I’m sorry Harmony, it is the only time open in my schedule before the wedding," she explained her eyes taking more of a pleading look. I was conscious of the stares around the throne room. They conveyed the unspoken message clearly. “Okay," I said slowly. “I’ll go.” I felt half the stares lose their intensity and I relaxed slightly. Tempora smiled demurely at me, nodding her head. “Thank you.” “See you tomorrow, then," I call back as I head towards the throne room door. I pause as a sudden thought occurs to me and I turn back around. “How long have you known about me?” I ask mildly. Tempora cocks her head. “I’d say from the day we first met, Max has been talking about you," she replies with a small laugh. I nod silently, trying to keep my face carefully neutral in expression. “Okay," I say as I head back out again. “Just wanted to know.” I growled under my breath quietly as the double doors behind me closed. “I’m really going to grill him.” —— Tempora reflects on Harmony’s parting words. “Max told him about me...” She muses to herself quietly. "...didn't he?"