“What is that?” Luna asked, looking up from her paperwork after putting her signature on it.
“Hmm?” I asked, looking up from the scene draft that included the still unnamed main character riding a cart down a hill and off a pier down into the cabins of a passing ship.
“That thing.” Luna explained and pointed her hoof at the golden watch I had been playing with, tossing it towards the wall and catching it again before it hit.
Shrugging, I floated it over to her across the room before returning to my writing. “Golden pocket watch. Got it at Fancy Pants' new years party. It was a gift from Lord... what's-his-face. I think he was trying to bribe me or curry favor or something. Considering I didn't bother remembering his name, I don't think it worked too well.” I answered and put the page to the side, starting on the next one.
Luna turned it over in her magic with a small frown. “And you still took it?”
I grinned faintly. “Hey, free stuff. I don't even know what he wanted, he just kept drifting from subject to subject in a single long unbroken sentence. Besides, what exactly did he expect me to be able to do about... anything. If ponies like to give me stuff, who am I to complain? It's only a bribe if I do something for it.”
That got a small snort from her as she dropped it back on the table next to me. “That sounds like Lord Bubble Water. Unicorn, light blue coat, pink hair?”
Tilting my head, I nodded. “That rings a bell. I think.”
“It was probably about the exception to import taxes on iron he is trying to get passed that I keep blocking.” she said and picked up to read another paper, flipping through it.
I frowned at that, dipping my quill in the ink. “...And what exactly did he think he would accomplish by giving me a watch?”
“Likely to talk me into it.”
“Yeah, good luck with that. No tax on imported iron? Is he nuts?”
Luna shrugged her wings and then shook her head and made a big X over the most recent proposal. “Banning almonds? What?” before she looked over at me again. “It's cheaper to import the iron from the minotaurs than to mine it in Equestria, the taxes make local iron more competitive. We can't afford to lose all our internal iron mines which would happen if we didn't.”
I raised an eyebrow at that and then nodded. “That makes sense. What's this about almonds by the way?”
Luna floated the papers over to me. “A proposal from the Equestian Horticulture Association to ban the farming of almonds in parts of the country.”
Flipping through it, I nodded slowly. “...Actually, that's not an awful idea.”
That earned me a surprised look. “Really? Why?”
Floating the papers back to her I shrugged. “If I remember right, almond trees use a ton of water for how much they produce. At least it was like that on Earth. It might cause trouble if they are grown in large numbers in some of the drier parts of the country.”
Luna looked thoughtful at the proposal. “Surely they would realize that and not grow them there.”
“If the price of almonds went up enough?”
“Hmm.” she said before she slowly nodded and picked up her quill to start to write down a message. “I'll have them research the effect of growing almonds in dry climates.”
Nodding, I pulled over a book on different types of ships. I needed something big, fast and able to carry both passengers and cargo.
Hmm.
“Yeah, better have that checked. No idea if that's true here or if I'm even remembering it right.” I said and flipped through the book.
Cargo cog? No, too small.
Movement next to me pulled my attention from the book to notice Luna jumping onto the couch next to me, peering into the book from over my shoulder.
“Done?” I asked and shifted to give her a bit more room as she laid down.
“Mmm... mostly.” Luna answered and flicked her ears. “Need to do something other than paperwork for a while. What are you reading?”
“Ships.” I said and floated the book so she could see it more easily. “I'm trying to find a good ship type for my character to jump a wagon onto.”
Luna blinked and stretched her wings. “I... see?” she said, sounding slightly confused. “I'm sure that makes sense in context.”
I grinned and then shook my head. “Not really quite yet, no. But it's a good scene and I want to see if I can work it in when I get to actually writing on this book and I don't want to forget it.”
That got a nod. “Ah.”
Putting the book back on the table, I stretched with a yawn. “What time is it?”
“Getting close to two.” Luna answered with a smile without looking at any kind of clock.
One of the pros of controlling a stellar body I guess. I couldn't quite help from smirking at myself at that thought. In more than one way, I guess.
“No wonder I'm getting hungry.”
Two at night was about my dinner time. Luna's was in another three hours, around the time I went to bed.
“I'll think I'll have a snack as well.” Luna agreed and jumped of the couch to stretch as I followed her, cracking my neck.
As we exited the private chambers, I frowned slightly. “Night Court today.”
Luna nodded. “In an hour.”
“How many showed up last time?”
“Thirty four.” she said with a smile. “The number of ponies attending is increasing.”
I hmm-ed at that. “I think this might be a case of 'be careful what you wish for'. I have seen your sister hold court. From start to finish she is forced to listen to requests and petitions and proposals for hours. At least you can usually end it early.”
“Our ponies deserve all the attention We can give them, Page.” Luna disagreed with a small frown. “They turn up because they need help with something or because they feel that something requires Our attention and lower offices are insufficient or too slow. They will not be turned away because I feel lazy, no matter how boring it can be.”
“...Sorry.”