//------------------------------//
// Chapter One 
// Story: [C] Hard Working Princess 
// by scribe-feather 
//------------------------------//

Hard Working Princess
Chapter One
By Scribe Feather


✶✶1✶✶

The summer sun floated high in to the Canterlot sky as a new summer day started to begin. For many Canterlot ponies the summer meant hot weather, vacation days on the beach, and even some work if they could manage to find time for it. However, not every pony enjoyed the summer fun that was to be had during this sunny season.

Celestia, the princess of the sun, raised the bright orb into the sky to mark the beginning of the new day. It was the most important task of the day that thousands of ponies relied on each day. Immediately after the sun was raised, Celestia was needed elsewhere and wasted no time getting to where she needed to be. With the sun up, her busy day as princess of Equestria was just beginning. Much like any other day, today was chock full of time consuming and difficult tasks that weighed her busy head down with their responsibility.

The busy princess was in the thick of her busy season. Summer was a difficult and grueling season that wore away even the long lasting endurance of the princess. When she was just finishing up with a diplomatic meeting, a civil dispute would call her attention. However hard she worked on finishing letters to the other princesses across the land, she would be called to the royal records to rearrange some jumbled paperwork. Countless tasks and the tiring work seemed to be endless.

Around mid afternoon she found herself in her throne room. Celestia practically collapsed onto her throne, taking in a big breath of air as she was finally able to sit down. A full day of work still waited after this momentary break.

Her most trusted royal scribe waited by the tired pony. The brown unicorn looked almost as tired as Celestia, but continued to hold his standing lose beside her. Despite his tired eyes, the schedule driven pony stood at the ready.

"Are there any afternoon meetings today, Wordsmith?" She asked with a tired tone to the record keeper on her left.

The brown unicorn floated a clipboard in front of him, flipping through a couple pages that were covered in words and numbers. "Uhm, no, your highness," he said with a respectable and well educated tone, "we have taken the liberty to rearrange your scheduling to meet somepony...special."

Celestia raised up from her throne, "somepony special?"

“She requested to speak with you privately,” he simply said, leading the way for the tired pony.

The meeting was assembled in the Private Court, a more secluded part of the castle where secretive and confidential meetings were held. The room was large enough to comfortably fit the large round table that dominated the center of the room, easily fitting eight ponies around it.

Celestia and a few members of her royal court seated themselves in the room minutes later, occupying the seats that faced the main door that acted as the room's only entrance. Word was sent out and this new pony was requested to attend.

After only a few short minutes of waiting the tall, wooden doors opened, revealing a single pink unicorn who trotted into the hall. The mare had a certain glow about her, walking with confident grace that never came off as snooty or pretentious. She had a maternal charm to her, her feathered, cyan mane.

"Good afternoon, Princess Celestia," the mare said with a deep, respective bow. "My name is Phosphor."

“Well met, Miss Phosphor,” Celestia answered back with one of her own regal bows. “I was told you needed to speak with me?”

"Why yes, your highness. I was made aware of your hectic schedule,” the pink pony began to explain, "I specialize in a special type of therapy that your royal staff have felt may help you in this stressful time. The therapy helps reduce stress with some minor lifestyle adjustments."

"What sort of adjustments?"

"Small stuff at first and the change will be subtle," Phosphor explained with a rehearsed presentation. "The aim is to bring your life back to a simpler, less stressful time," she continued, speaking with a gentle flow of words that helped flesh out her intentions, "the proper term is regression, and it has improved many of my clients' lives who now live practically carefree lives."

Princess Celestia gave it pause, thinking the strange offer over. She could admit that her life lately has been a hectic one. She understood the weight that pressed on her shoulders and the stresses of everyday life. Now she found herself wondering if Phosphor really could help her. "Would you please excuse us for a moment?" 

"Of course," Phosphor graciously bowed her head, taking a couple steps backwards.

Princess Celestia gathered in a huddle on the other side of the room with her royal court. Her record keepers and aids surrounded her as she consulted them.

"Forgive me, princess, but we believe Miss Phosphor was right with her observations," one of her aids quietly said.

"So you think I should actually go through with it?" Celestia asked the mare.

"It's not my place to say," the other pony replied, looking at the other ponies for emotional support. "But...you work very hard, your highness. And Miss Phosphor's reputation precedes her."

"It will just be for a little while," Wordsmith added, "if you don't like it in the end of the session you can simply go back to your old ways."

"Maybe you're right," Celestia mumbled back, looking at the ground in thought. "I will allow Miss Phosphor to proceed with...whatever she does." With her decision made, the group simultaneously nodded, splitting up shortly after. Celestia returned to the table's edge, turning her attention to Phosphor. "After much consideration, I have decided to allow you to proceed with your plan.

The smile on Phosphors face grew, "wonderful news! I will begin making the proper adjustments right away." And with that, the unicorn was off.

After their conversation with one another, Celestia didn’t notice any immediate changes to her daily routine. Her busy schedule continued as it always did. She spent any free thought wondering what Phosphor was going to do. What could she possibly change in the princess’s life to make it less stressful?

When it came to nighttime, Celestia soon found Phosphor’s first change. Upon entering her bedroom she found her large, regal bed was replaced with an adult sized crib. It was lovely painted a white containing starry sheets and a visible plastic sheet underneath the other soft sheet layers.

Celestia wasn’t quite sure how to feel about the new bed. "A...crib?"

"The beginning steps of my treatment, your highness," Phosphor added walking into the room behind her.

"I don't quite understand how a crib can help me relax."

"My other clients have found that sleeping in crib gives them an added sense of security."

"So you want me to sleep in the crib every night now?"

"Yes of course, your highness," Phosphor said before looking at a nearby wall clock. "speaking of which, it would be best to get you ready for bed."

"So early?"

"You'll be glad you did, sweetie. Trust me." Phosphor gave Celestia a warm smile before she continued, "tell you what. Just lay down and relax in your crib for a little bit. You don't even have to sleep if you’re not tired."

With a blue glow of her horn, Phosphor slowly lowered the rails on one side of the crib, allowing access to the inviting, soft sheets inside. Celestia slowly climbed into it, taking a few hesitant steps onto the new mattress as she did.

The mattress didn't feel any different from her old bed, save for the faint crinkle that came from the hidden plastic sheet. Sitting in it now, Celestia couldn't quite understand how being surrounded by a bunch of wooden bars would help her sleep better.

"Have a good night, sweetie," Phosphor said as she raised the gate and locked it into place.

"Goodnight, miss Phosphor," Celestia said back as she watched the other pony trot out of the room. The main nursery lights were turned off, allowing the gentle, blue glow of a nearby night light to illuminate the room.

Celestia laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling from her new crib. She wasn't sure what to think of the strange sleeping arrangement, let alone the new pony who now called the shots in the name of relaxation therapy.

She took in a deep breath of air, letting it out slowly as her body relaxed into the warm bed sheets. The sheets felt surprisingly softer than what she was use to and she couldn't recall the last time she was able to get her body so still before. She always felt the need to be doing something right up to the very edge of exhaustion.

After quickly reasoning that she’d be stuck there until Phosphor came back, Celestia decided to rest her eyes, just for a minute or two. However the resting of her eyes turned into a light nap and before she knew it, she slept through the night.