Celestia finally finished her royal duties and rushed to her room, she removed the magical lock spell and found one of the most cute scenes she had ever saw, there in the couch was Sweet Rose, sleeping with her baby in her hooves and a little book next to them, when she got close to them, Sweet woke up, she immediately noticed Princess Celestia and said:
“Hello your highness”
“Hello Sweet, for what I’m seeing, I’m willing to believe you both had a good time”
“Oh yes Princess, he is such a sweet angel, he doesn’t cry too much and when he does, he calms down if I read him a little story or play with him, you really can’t ask for a better well behaved foal, and don’t worry, I got him some diapers from the store and brought them here without anypony noticed”
“Thank you Sweet, just let me know what you need and I will make sure to bring it to you, now if you excuse me, I want to show him what I do every end of the day, you are dissmised for today”
“Thank you your highness and see you later little Bright” Sweet said and kissed Bright in his forehead, Celestia giggled at this, it seemed Sweet Rose was getting very close to him.
Celestia carried her baby in her hoof and both went to the balcony, Bright was looking at her with wonder eyes, once there, her horn started to glow and the baby looked how the big shinny ball in the sky started to hide in the horizon, he applauded and giggled at this, his applause increased when he saw how another giant rock ball started to raise to replace the big shinny one, Celestia looked at him, how her baby was enjoying the show.
“Did you see what mommy can do?. . . mommy?. . . yes, did you see what mommy can do? Did you like it?”
(Baby’s laughter)
“I’ll take that as a yes, now let’s read you a little bed time story with a glass of milk and then we’ll proceed to sleep ok?”
(Baby smiling)
“That’s my boy”
- - - - - - - - - -
In the middle of the night, Celestia was sleeping with her baby who was resting next to her chest, she was covering him with her wing as the best blanket any creature could ever ask for, without her noticing, a dark figure landed in the balcony and entered her room, she started to get close to Celestia but it was too dark and it tripped over with the baby’s bottle on the floor, Celestia immediately woke up, she wrapped Bright carefully with her wing to not wake him up, she then, started to charge her horn to attack whoever the intruder was, she turned on the lights and saw the intruder.
“Ouch, That really hurt!” The little pegasus said
“Cadence? What. . what are you doing here?” She asked while trying to cover Bright with her wings.
“I had a nightmare and came to see if I could sleep with you, but your door was magically locked, so I flew to your balcony hoping it wasn’t locked too, I came in and tripped over with something, is that a baby’s bottle?”
Celestia facehoofed for her own stupidity, how could she be so careless, Cadence sometimes came to her room for confort after having bad dreams, after all she was only 6 years old, Cadence, by her part. Being the curious pony she was, she noticed her aunt was hidding something with her wings
“Auntie Celestia? What are you hidding?”
Celestia alarmed at this, she tried to find a good answer.
“Well, you see, I. . . .”
At that moment, she was interrupted by Bright’s crying, Celestia immediately casted a silent spell over her room, then she started to cradle the baby.
“shuuuuuu my little Bright shuuuuuuu, I’m here. don’t be scared”
Bright calmed down and started to fall sleep again, Cadence look at the scene and flew close to the strange creature, with widened eyes she stared at him, but the second later a huge smile crossed her face.
“Auntie Celestia, what is that creature? it’s soooo cute!”
Celestia was shocked, more than scared or disgusted, Cadence was charmed by the boy, with a smile she said:
“This is Brigth Sunny, a little baby I decided to bring here and raise as my prot. . . as my son”
“Really?! so in that case, that’s makes him my. . . cousin?”
“I think so, do you want to carry him?”
“Yes!”
Celestia levitated the baby and placed him in Cadence’s hooves, once in her embrace, Cadence couldn’t help to start nuzzle the baby who was laughing with her.
“Oh my, he is really cute, but what is he?”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that for now my dear Cadence and to be honest, I’m not sure If I will be able to do it in a near future, he is a never seen creature, and before you say something, no! he is not a furless monkey”
“Ok! It doesn’t matter, he is nice and cute and more importantly, he is my cousin, YAY! I have a new cousin!” Cadence said while making silly faces to a happy baby.
“I’m glad to hear you say that my niece, now please listen to me, I need you to keep this a secret, at least for now, ok?”
“Why! I want to show him to my friends, I know they will like him too”
“I don’t have doubts of that my niece but for now, just let’s say there may be mean ponies who will not accept him as easy as you and me did and maybe they will try to hurt him”
“What?! No! I will not let them, I will protect him!”
“I know you will, so what you say? Will you keep the secret?”
“Yes auntie, I will, but tell me. . . are you planning to keep him always here, inside your room? I think he will need to see what is outside of here, or at least the rest of the palace”
Celestia frowned at this, she knew Cadence was right, obviously the idea of keeping Bright inside her room forever was a real bad one, but what else she could do? She was not sure how the rest of her ponies would react after seeing him, worst finding out he will be their prince, she wasn’t ashamed of her baby, but just thinking that somepony could harm him ached her heart, she was glad she didn’t have that problem with Blueblood and Cadence since they were ponies and everypony loved them or at least. . . tolerated them.
“Cadence, I promise I will think what to do but please for now, can you please keep the secret”
“Ok, but only if you let me come to see him and play with him whenever I want”
“Yes my niece, just be carefull nopony finds him ok?”
“Ok”
With this issue dealed the three of them proceded to sleep, Cadence next to Celestia with Bright still in her hooves, she was now covering him with her wing while Celestia was covering both of them with her own wing.
- - - - - - - - - -
Celestia finished her royal duties the next day and went straight to her room, she found Cadence and Sweet Rose playing with Bright.
“Oh my, it seems you three had a great time”
“Yes, auntie, we played lots of games, I really like my new cousin, he is so funny”
“I’m glad to hear that, Cadence, would you please stay with him a little longer, I need to discuss something with Mrs Sweet Rose”
“Ok! Come little cousin, let me give you another ride around your room”
While Cadence had fun with her cousin, Celestia brought Sweet to her study room, she prepared some tea and told her everything Cadence said last night, Sweet noded and said:
“Honestly your highness, I must say you have a very smart niece, you have to admit she is right, I really love taking care of them here, but you can’t have him inside your room all his life, I understand you are afraid of what mean ponies can do to him, but I really believe at least your servants and guards can keep the secret if you order it to them and at least that way, he will be able to live in the palace without worries, BUT, I also think you will have to take some. . . Extreme measures.
“What you mean Sweet?”
“Let me propose you something”
Celestia listened to Sweet Rose, her plan was indeed a bit extreme but in order to give her son a normal life, one at least inside the palace until she believed it would be safe to show him to the world, it was her best option.
- - - - - - - - - -
Every Royal guard, Messenger, and staff available was gathered inside the throne room, all of them wondering what their beautifull ruler had to say to them, after waiting some minutes, Princess Celestia alongside Cadence and her personal maid Sweet Rose entered the room, Sweet Rose was carrying something in her hoof, covered in blankets and it sounded like a baby, it was odd, everypony who knew her knew she didn’t have a foal, once they were infront of everypony, Princess Celestia said:
“My royal servants and guards, I called you here today to make an announcement, Two days ago. . . .I was blessed with something beautifull. . . a son to love”
Everypony gasped to hear that, they were surprised but happy at the same time, even Blueblood was smiling, all of them loved Princess Celestia, but two days ago? Many of them started to get very confused.
Celestia, noticing her servants confused faces continued:
“Yes, I found a lovely baby I want to raise as my son, but. . . I must tell you, he is not a pony or any creature you have seen before”
The gasp was higher this time.
“I found him in the night, all alone and crying, when I saw him, I knew it was me the one who should take care of him, he is unique, but please, don’t missunderstand, I’m not taking care of him because I have to but because I want to, I fell in love with this creature and I hope you too can accept him as well as I did, I want him to have a happy life inside our palace until I decide that it’s safe for him to be around with the rest of the ponies in Equestria”
Everypony remained silent, Celestia then noded to Sweet Rose to show them her little baby, Sweet levitated him in front of them and removed the blankets, everypony gasped a third time when they saw him, some maids looked at him with disgust, some smiled at him and some even giggled, the guards couldn’t hide their surprise but at least none of them tried to do something to harm him, only one pony found the courage to talk, he stood infront of the crowd and said:
“Uhg, What an ugly thing!”
“BlueBlood! How can you say something like that?” Cadence said
“But look at him, he is an abo. . . .”
He was immediately interrupted by Princess Celestia.
“It would be wise if you don’t finish that sentence my nephew, he is now your cousin and that’s not a way to treat family”
BlueBlood remained there, mute. Celestia turned to see her ponies again, nopony dared to say anything, she then continued:
“I know he is diferent, but please look at him, does he really look that disgusting or threating to you? he is as inocent as any foal you have seen”
“But he will grow up, what if he is dangerous or (gulp) carnivorous?”
“Yeah!” Many guards and servant replied.
“I must admit I don’t know everything about him yet, but I can asure you, every issue will be deal in the right time and think about it, If I raise him with love and care, he will never hurt any of us or any of my little ponies in Equestria, and who knows? maybe someday, he will help us to make our land safer than it already is and maybe even becoming an important part of our kingdom, so tell me, are you going to judge an inocent creature without knowing him yet or you will be the open minded ponies I know you are and will give this baby a chance”
The room was silent for a moment but then everypony started to applause by stomping the ground, some even started to cheer with high voices:
"Congratulations for your son your Highness!"
Celestia smiled after hearing that, she was even started to cry.
“And what is his name?” One maid said.
Celestia smiled, she levitated Bright in her hooves and started to cradle him.
“His name is Prince Bright Sunny”
When the cheers ended Celestia started to talk again, but this time she sounded really serious.
“I’m glad you all agreed with me but now, I must get serious, please listen carefully, nopony outside this palace or outside the royal staff can know about him, not until I say it’s safe, I need you to swear to never say a word about the existence of my son, as I told you, someday he will be known for everypony in Equestria but that day is not close, do you all understand?”
Everypony noded.
“Good, Now! know this and make sure everyguard or maid not present right now knows these news, If anypony ever find out about his existence by anypony who works in this palace, be sure I will do an investigation using my Royal Lie detector spell, all of you know I only use it in extreme situations and I will not doubt in using it in every one of you in case I find it necessary and I promise you, for the culprit, the consecuences will be severe, no matter if is family"
Celestia said that particular part while staring at BlueBlood, she then turned again to her little ponies.
“Please I beg you, don’t make me do it”
Everypony shocked, noded again, wow! If their Princess was willing to go that far as using that legendary spell, it only meant she was serious, but still, all of them were loyal to her and swear to be silent.
With everything said, many ponies started to leave the room while many proceded to know the new Prince, many maids by looking at him closely, were charmed and wanted to carry him, but Sweet Rose refused to let him go, after all, she was his oficial babysitter maid. Princess Celestia was relieved, at least for now, she would be able to raise her son not in a room but a palace, everything should be fine from now on. . . right?