Going to Court
Luna and Twilight proceeded through the hallowed halls of Canterlot castle as the early morning sun poured through the stained glass windows. The various depictions historical events were displayed stunningly on the pastel coloured walls. It was truly a glorious sight for early morning risers of the castle staff.
Twilight took occasional notice of them with heavy eyes as she passed. While nothing new to her, they still managed to captivate her slightly even to this day. This was despite the fact that Luna had decided to wake both of them at six o’clock leaving Twilight with only about two and half hours of sleep, something about putting Twilight’s fears to rest about being a princess. She hadn’t even had her coffee yet.
“Luna?”
“Hmmm?”
“What are we doing?” At that Luna stopped before turning and flashed Twilight, a beaming smile. All Twilight could do was grimace. That smile either meant Luna had just found a terrible new joke or one of the many new carnival games she was so fond of. Twilight swore if she had to spend anymore bits on throwing a ball at a bunch of cans she throw the vendor the next time.
“Is it not clear dear Twilight.” Twilight slowly shook her head. “We wish to aid in your endeavour to quickly learn how to become a princess!” Twilight was completely still. Luna had spread he wings out, leaned forward with her mouth open with an expectant smile. Twilight’s face deadpanned.
“I’m going back to bed,” she said as she turned back down the hall from whence she came. Luna was shaken temporarily, having been caught off guard by the answer before igniting her horn and appearing in front of Twilight with an impish smile.
"Come now Twilight, it shall only take a little bit of your time," pouted Luna. She came before Twilight with puppy dog eyes and held her wing out in a bashful gesture. Twilight groaned helplessly before her, she decided to turn around and then mumbled before waving a hoof at Luna.
“Go on so.” Luna did a hoof pump before mouthing the word ‘yes’. She skipped into position as she wrapped Twilight in a friendly wing and carried on down towards what Twilight recognised as the throne room. Twilight was still frowning despite the sudden flow of warmth from the wing resting on her back. She did not just get out of bed to visit the throne room. She was about to ask Luna another question but was cut off by the dazzling alicorn’s sudden words.
"You will not regret this Twilight; this morning shall be most…educational." She winked down at the grumpy looking pony next to her. Twilight sighed in reply before blowing a stray piece of hair out of her face. The blue navy alicorn seemed oblivious to her companion’s dismay. She was just all too happy to finally be teaching Twilight something and not the other way around.
“Isn’t Princess Celestia about to hold court right now?”
“Nay,” laughed Luna. “While our sister is a good pony, she has become rather…vain about her appearance over the past thousand years or so.” Luna held her hoof to her mouth to supress an onset of giggles. Twilight was sceptical as she perked up slightly to gauge whether Luna was joking or not. "She spends most of the early morning before court making sure she doesn't look like a walking corpse. Our sister ironically is not a morning pony."
“Seriously?" Luna nodded. “The Princess Celestia?” Luna choked back a laugh. “The most punctual and organised pony in Equestria?” Luna laughed at that one. Twilight hit Luna’s barrel to which she yelped and jumped away in reply.
“OW! What was that for?!”
“That’s for telling fibs early in the morning so I’ll believe the. I swear you’re worse than Discord sometimes.”
“No it’s the honest to Faust truth. You should see her she’s like one of those horror films before her make up. It’s all like…” Luna then held out one hoof and rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out before groaning loudly.
“Bleaghh must raise sun.”
Twilight couldn’t resist giggling madly at her dear friend’s display. The very idea of Celestia acting like Spike did on a weekend when getting up was both a highly disturbing image for Twilight as well as hilarious one at that. It lightened her mood significantly nonetheless. Luna returned to her normal stance. “I only wish I was joking, darling.” Twilight shuddered.
“Don’t say that!”
“What?” Luna was confused by Twilight’s sudden outburst, sure they happened all the time especially when she teased Twilight or made a lewd suggestion. But as far as Luna was aware ‘darling’ did not fall into the bad words category. Luna knew as much, Twilight made her keep a list. Apparently some of her old mannerisms were no longer acceptable in modern speech. Such as when she spoke in retrospect of the old female palace guard dog or when she ordered the guards to retrieve a 'bunch of sticks' for the fire. Luna was mortified when she was informed of their present meanings. It had not been one of her finer moments during her return.
“Darling,” deadpanned Twilight. “You and Rarity sound the exact same when you do that. It gives me the creeps.” Luna put her hoof to her chin and squinted her eyes in scepticism.
“No, no, I don’t see it. You probably are just still a bit tired is all.” Luna shook her head in agreement with herself while chuckling at thought. “Oh Twilight you always come up with the most humorous of ideas. Honestly Miss Rarity’s voice similar to mine, how silly.”
Twilight, to her credit, wisely decided not to get into a long drawn out discussion which would just result in another massive headache. Instead she just went with Luna’s conclusion with a grunt and carried on. The sooner this trip was finished the sooner she could return to bed. The very thought of returning to the warm embrace of bed had already started Twilight on the path to unconsciousness. She never saw the pillar that she walked directly into.
“Oh!”
While not exactly the intended reaction to her mistake, Twilight was more surprised by the fact that she had barely felt a thing. Luna turned immediately, wings rustled in shock as she realised that Twilight had been hurt before quickly going over to her flailing her hooves in an attempt to help the fallen alicorn.
“Are thou okay?!”
“I’m fine Luna. I just bumped my muzzle is all.”
“You should be more careful Twilight!”
“It’s fine Luna. It’s just weird is all." Twilight checked her hoof to make sure she didn’t have a nosebleed. "I mean I should be a tiny bit more hurt, after all this isn't the first time I've done that but I nearly don’t feel anything at all." Luna waved a hoof dismissively before pulling Twilight up.
“Well you are an alicorn now. You’re made of studier stuff than the average pony.”
“How much sturdier?” asked Twilight, who was genuinely interested in what Luna had to say. It would finally shed some light on the upper limit of her new form. It was not something she had readily discussed with both sisters. With a raised head Twilight eagerly awaited Luna’s reply, as the older alicorn looked forward in thought.
“Well did I ever tell you the story of when Discord crushed me with a bunch of rocks?”
"Discord crushed you with a bunch of rocks?"
“Well it was more like a mountain give or take a few tons,” Luna said with a shrug. Twilight’s mouth hung open like a mailbox. The very idea that Luna survived being crushed by tons of rocks baffled Twilight’s already weary brain.
“How? WHY?”
“Well we weren’t exactly on the best of terms Twilight,” Luna replied curtly. "Anyway I was fine afterwards." Twilight opened her mouth to shout out a string of questions but Luna acted first. "It also hurt like Tartarus if you were wondering but beside the point we're here. Come now.”
Luna flashed the two guards outside the throne room a smile before the two moved to push the two gargantuan doors open.Twilight gave them a small nod as she passed. One of the guards gave Twilight a smile recognising her from the time she had been at the castle as a filly. Twilight couldn’t for the life of her remember his name but she put that down to her still bed ragged state rather than a lapse of memory. Before she could do anything else or take in her surroundings Luna began to speak.
“This is the throne room. As you can quite clearly see this is where we hold court and make important decisions regarding the state. Court hours for the public start from eight in the morning and finish at six in the afternoon upon which the night court is held. There are usually half an hour breaks between every two and half hour session of court.” Twilight was about to interrupt Luna but couldn’t as the alicorn pointed out each little thing about the courts. For some apparent reason Luna had also decided to don some glasses in the short time they had been within the throne room.
“The court room is the most significant place you shall have to operate within while you’re a princess, Twilight. Commoners, nobles and merchants shall all have to meet you within said throne room. The only exception is foreign diplomats or a meeting of the royal council which can vary in topics from the military to just general administration. Luckily since your new here, me and Tia will deal with such matters while you stay in Canterlot for the weekend. When you return home I'm afraid you will be less lucky. The royal council may call you back to Canterlot regarding a general meeting of goverment or issues within goverment. Such meetings are held usually in the larger rooms not far from here.
The throne room also serves the purpose of allowing us to connect to our subjects but on our terms. While most of the time the courts deal with minor complaints, disputes or ideas you will also sadly have to pass out judgement on several tough issues.
While a set team of advisors will assist you in your decisions you must understand that as I told you last night that there may not always be the perfect solution. One of the key aspects of being a princess, according to our sister nowadays, is learning how to compromise on disputes or unrealistic suggestions. By doing so you attempt to get as you say the best of both worlds when dealing with a particularly challenging issue.
Though of course if you feel that something is too trivial for your time and the time of the state you have the power merely to dismiss any motion brought before the crown and have it dealt through the administration though we have been told by doing this it can be bad for our ‘PR’, whatever ‘PR’ means.”
“Luna if I may interrupt.”
“Why yes, you may," said Luna beaming with pride at her speech.” She thought she was doing an excellent job on educating Twilight but this pride turned to horror when she noticed something. She stuck her hoof out accusingly at Twilight. "Twilight why are you not taking notes?!”
“You didn’t give me any paper, anyway what I’m try-,” huffed an annoyed Twilight. Who was now becoming more and more dissatisfied with this sudden perception that she needed to notify everything. She wasn’t that bad. Well at least thats what she thought anyway. She only took five notebooks to Canterlot this time. That was almost half the amount she took the last time.
“That is of no worry I’ll get the guards to fetch you some.” Luna looked over Twilight and shook her head disappointedly. “Plus a writing quill. I’m very disappointed Twilight. You were completely unprepared for this.” Twilight struggled to hold back her urge to send the lunar alicorn back into space by doing the exercise shown to her by Cadence to calm her nerves. Though this odd reaction did not sway Luna from her role one bit. She waved a hoof at one of the guards near the windows who nodded in reply before rushing off to get the utensils his princesses needed.
“As I was saying,” Luna huffed. “You will also have to meet with the House of Commons as well as the royal council. While you have no strict duties relating to the House of Commons due to the fact they represent the average day pony you must pay heed of their opinions and any bill they pass will have to be signed by you and the council in order for it too come into law. You also will need to pass it by me and Tia so it represent-”
“LUNA!” Twilight blushed at her loss of self-control but while Luna had been speaking she tried on several consecutive occasions to get Luna’s attention. Each had failed as Luna had shut her eyes and lifted her right hoof in the air as if she was an obnoxious college lecturer. Now Luna had dropped her glasses and was staring mouth open at Twilight attempting to regain her stance. Twilight managed to get the first word out.
“What I’ve been trying to tell you is that you don’t need to do this. It’s sweet really, but unnecessary.”
Luna’s shock was palpable before her face turned into a firm stare and she held herself in at her full height. Twilight had only then realised that Luna actually looked much taller than she really was when she did this. Twilight cringed slightly.
“Of course it’s necessary. We need to teach you the ins and outs of being like us. Is that not what you wanted? To learn? We will not have you harassed and overwhelmed by your naivety of Equestrian politics. I will not have you made the fool of. Not while you’re with me.”
Twilight smiled a little at Luna’s protectiveness of her. She found it kind of cute in a weird way. But if that protectiveness meant having to put up with long rants at six o’clock in the morning after a long night then there was going to be an issue.
“It really isn’t Luna,” sighed Twilight Luna cocked an eyebrow but remained silent. Twilight felt a bit nervous as Luna's gaze intensified. It wasn't a deliberate action by Twilight but a habit she had never managed to kick around Celestia and Luna. This was despite the fact that she was now essentially their equal. The authority both of them still held made Twilight uneasy. Even more so knowing that she now held that same authority to other ponies made her more uneasy. "I kind of know how things run in the court around here." Luna looked puzzled.
“But you are not of noble birth at least from what you have told me and you said you spent most of your time in the library or with our sister when you stayed here. You never told me you participated in court.”
“I didn’t,” said Twilight rolling her eyes. "I just occasionally sat at the side of the throne and watched. It was tedious and I mainly just read books but you tend to pick a few things up when you sit around a princess for a couple of hours. I wasn’t lying when I said I was a social outcast.”
“That still doesn’t explain how you know the finite details about the inner workings of the state. You said you didn't like politics a couple of months ago.” Luna levelled her gaze at Twilight who smiled sheepishly before gazing at her hoof slightly.
"Well I guess that’s why Princess Celestia sent me all those texts on Equestrian politics a few weeks before my coronation." Twilight tried to chuckle but it fell flat after a few moments. Luna groaned in despair.
“Of course my sister sent you all the relevant information, that’s just brilliant,” said Luna sarcastically. “It’s not like I want to teach my marefriend this one thing but nooooo Tia has to go and spoil it." Luna looked down, noticing the discarded glasses from earlier. "Gahhh these glasses cost like a hundred bits.” Luna lift up the now shattered glasses. “I even had cue cards and all,” Luna said as a bunch of cards floated into the air and landed all over the court room floor. Luna’s expression turned superficially dark. “Tia shall pay for this inconvenience!”
Twilight could only chuckle a Luna’s little tantrum. The way Luna acted was similar to a foal. It was also the only occasion upon which Twilight could counter the onset of teasing that usually came from the moon princess but Twilight being the better mare did not pursue this course of action. That was for later. Anyway early morning hunger began to set in as she heard her stomach grumble.
“Now that we have settled that I think that it’s time for breakfast or dinner I guess?” Twilight began to make a move for the exit to the throne room but was stopped by an outstretched wing. She turned her head to Luna.
“Will you just grant me one indulgence?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Will you just sit on the throne? I just want to see you do it. You know you’re not the only one with insecurities Twilight.” She seemed a bit downtrodden before lighting up slightly. “We would feel much better if you just sat on it for a moment. It'd make this failed experiment all the worth while.”
Twilight felt her anxiety build as she gulped a little. Sitting on the throne was a taboo only reserved for the diarchy. No pony except the regent could sit upon it. It was treasonous to do otherwise. It was among the first things Twilight had learned within her time at the castle.
The throne represented not only just the Celestia and Luna’s seat of power but also the seat of the ponies they governed. For Twilight to sit on it would be like trying on Princess Celestia’s crown, which she had when she was younger but never in clear view of any other pony than the princess. Plus she was a foal back then. She didn’t know the power such dainty looking object could hold.
Now she knew all too well. Plus the throne was actually intimidating from where Twilight was standing. It was so tall, so beautiful, and so…regal. Her anxieties of being a princess were more so to the responsibility laden with such a position and the consequences should she fail. If Twilight sat on the throne, even for a moment, she would finally confirm that she was no longer a common mare.
While she had been coroneted, she had yet to actually be sworn into the constitution of the state. According to Cadence it had taken nearly several years for her to be fully accepted into it but she reassured Twilight that the process for her would be much quicker. It didn’t reassure Twilight at the time and it certainly wasn’t aiding her now. Twilight was tempted to refuse under the explanation that maybe it was more suitable for another time.
One thing prevented that. Luna’s gentle smile, the flow of her majestic mane, ever blowing in the eternal wind, the subtle warmth she radiated, not like Celestia who felt like a blazing fire but more of an inner warmth, it was the cool caress of moonlight or the softness of a patch dew ridden grass on her coat in the late hours of the night that emanated from her very touch. In the end how could Twilight refuse? How could she refuse such a request from a mare that meant a lot to her? How could she let those often sad but determined eyes down like so many others before her?
Twilight approached the throne tepidly as if it was going to consume her if she got any closer. The ascending platforms to its hallowed seat felt like the longest trot in her life. She looked over the throne one more time before carefully lifting herself onto the seat and eventually sitting down in an upright position. She raised her head and glanced down below her.
She felt…taller. Maybe it was the perspective or just the general design of the stairway to the throne but she felt it nonetheless. It was actually quite uncomfortable without the cushions placed there for the respective monarchs. Luna was at the bottom of the steps while Twilight could spot some onlookers for outside the main doors glancing in. They quickly dispersed when they saw Twilight looking at them except for the guards who quickly returned to their posts.
“How do you feel?” called Luna.
“I’m feeling…eh…fine…a bit uncomfortable but fine…and really tall." Twilight looked around. "How do I look?” Twilight decided to do a serious pose while leaning to the side of the throne with a hoof under her chin giving off the idea that she was brooding or being really pensive. It may have looked convincing had the throne not been about two times too large for the former unicorn. Twilight had been waiting for the expected sarcastic reply but was surprised when she received none.
Luna was still staring at her. The way the light shifted through the stain glass windows and the sun caught Twilight’s hair had stunned Luna. For a split second the light shifted. Instead of the small alicorn that had clumsily sat on the throne previously sat a tall elegant alicorn. Her coat purple and her hair shimmered like the galaxies themselves and her figure radiated power and wisdom but her eyes held that old spark.
A spark Luna saw quite frequently in her dealings with her smaller companion. Before Luna could confirm the image as reality, the light shifted again and the image vanished. On the throne sat a smaller, startled alicorn. Luna was unsure whether she had mixed up a memory of Tia or whether it was a premonition of some kind. If she had time she would ask Tia about it later.
“Luna are you alright? You kind of blanked out on me there.” Luna shook her head before smiling at Twilight.
"You look…good. Well that’s not to say you don’t always look good but like…you are a very attractive mare by any standards, I’m just...” Luna sighed. “You just look great.Thanks for doing this. Now come on let’s get some breakfast.”
“Good!” Twilight shouted teleporting to Luna’s side. “I’m starved plus the sooner breakfast's done the sooner I can go back to bed." She shot Luna a glare. "Without a certain meddling alicorn getting me up all the time . Please don’t tell me you have any other plans for this evening?”
“Wellllll…” sang Luna leaving the last letter drag much to her amusement as her companion moaned. Luna giggled before giving Twilight a quick nuzzle and carried off at pace out of the throne room. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Twilight nearly fell again before murmuring in disapproval and then exited in pursuit of her would be tormentor.
Leaving behind one extremely tired guard who had just arrived with an almost mountain load of utensils which much to his exhausted dismay, were no longer necessary.
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Whoo you made a sequel to Learning curve!
images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120622171148/ponymondawndusk/images/c/c9/Discord_YES.gif
/commence read
3057791 Awww you're too kind
It just wasn't within me to leave it at one. What can I say I'm a sap for TwilLuna.
Thanks for submitting to the Twiluna group!
Learning Curve was a sweet little read, and I'm sure this will be equally so.
I finally read the chapter i got a tad distracted.
Any way it was a pretty good first chapter and i looking forward to more.
I think i spotted a spelling mistake "Twilight hit Luna’s barrel" that line confused me a tad
unless barrel means more then one thing /shrug
Any way keep up the good work!
3058492 Luna's kind of chest-stomach area near the centre of the body. May change that considering its more of a slang term but yeah it just means around the chest really.
Thanks anyway. Glad you enjoyed it.
3059348 using barrel is fine but this chapter could use a quick readover i noticed quite a few missing words in sentences.
3061046 Yeah, I have an unfortunate tendancy to overlook those kind of errors (not on purpose of course) I'll give a read over the chapter again later and pick out any mistakes. Hopefully I might be able to catch some.
Yet another good TwiLuna entry! Consider putting your TwiLuna together into a single story, especially if all your scenes are part of the same "universe".
3073012 I was actually just going to continue on Learning curve but I felt that since it had a definitive end I would leave it as a one shot which is open to whether you wish to continue reading or not.
I may consider it later but I'm content with Learning curve remaining a one shot while this is the expanded version of it. This also may add a plot unlike Learning curve so it suits to be a seperate story.
Anyway, thanks for the positive comments and favourites and the watch. Hope I can keep ideas for this story up
“Darling,” deadpanned Twilight. “You and Rarity sound the exact same when you do that. It gives me the creeps.” Luna put her hoof to her chin and squinted her eyes in scepticism.
Hehehe, BWAHAHAHAA!!! Very smooth. I love Tabitha St Germain.
"Luckily since your new here, me and Tia will deal with such matters while you stay in Canterlot for the weekend."
Your Should be You're and me and Tia should be Tia and I
"You also will need to pass it by me and Tia so it represent-”
And again.
I like this. It's very good :)
Might be missing a word after serious. "Pose" maybe?
love the voice joke considering Luna and Rarity are voiced by the same person.
My main problem with this is that you don't seem to have a grasp on the use of commas. Almost every sentence just ran on in one breath, and when it's in dialogue it becomes a big problem. There were other problems scattered throughout this chapter as well, enough that I have to suggest getting an editor.
4769971 Thanks.
4769989 I understand what you're saying. I wrote this piece nearly a year ago. Let's just say that when I started on this site, my use/misuse of the comma was perhaps the biggest of mistakes I generally made. I suppose it's pure laziness on my part. I would get an editor for this stuff but I would feel bad for him, considering having already started the story and reaching sixty thousand words. I wouldn't want to be a bother.
Thanks for the comment anyway.
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